Daily Bits and Bobs

Striker Deal In January? Podolski Makes It Clear Where His Future Won’t Be!

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

Something which will cheer us Gooners relates to Lukas Podolski. Despite not being able to force his way into the Arsenal side this season which in itself is somewhat strange when we consider how many injuries we have and the fact that Danny Welbeck is yet to be given a break, he is a true Arsenal player. Having read that the nasty neighbours are interested in rescuing his career, he tweeted:

Hell would freeze over before this transfer happened.

It’s funny how some players, regardless of how the manager treats them really get why making a move across the North of London is so wrong.They know just how much that would cheese off the fans. Thierry Henry would have never dreamt about making such a move, neither would Dennis Bergkamp or plenty of other overseas players I suspect because they loved our club and they respected the fans.

And yes, it still is our club despite Stan Kroenke trying to make sure it doesn’t feel like that these days. We’ll get it back, one day!

Of course they’ll always be a twit like Diaby who was supposed to have owned/worn a Spuds shirt but in the main, our boys do not switch sides in North London. Not these days.

With Podolski looking likely to leave, on the way in could be Marseille striker André-Pierre Gignac. Apparently his contract expires next summer and come January, he’s free to talk to overseas clubs and one of those is rumoured to be Arsenal.

However, with Olivier Giroud due back before the end of the year and Yaya Sanogo expected to turn into Thierry Henry when he returns, I doubt if Wenger will be too keen to sign him in January as he’d have to shell out a few million but come the summer, we may just see another French and free striker join.

Sounds very unlike an Arsene Wenger signing doesn’t it!

Tomorrow night, young goalkeeper Martinez will between the sticks in our Champions League fixture in Belgium and he’s ready:

I’ve been working on being more commanding in the box. I didn’t have any experience before and I went to the Championship, which is all about crosses and making the right decision.

I learnt a lot because I played nearly 20 games so I’m a completely different keeper now. I was working really hard and I played really well in quite a few wins and gained a lot of experience.

I’ve been working with Wojciech for nearly four years already. Since I came to Arsenal I’ve been working with him.

Let’s all hope that having worked with Szczesny for four years, he has’t picked up any of his bad habits. And there’s a few he could pick up…..

Fingers crossed he doesn’t get injured or sent off as on the bench will be  17-year-old keeper Ryan Huddart….

Could only happen at Arsenal couldn’t it……

Have  good day all…

 

 

rico

160 thoughts on “Striker Deal In January? Podolski Makes It Clear Where His Future Won’t Be!”

  1. Tope says:

    Goodmorning all. Striker is the least of our problem. Even if we buy reus without solving the dm and cb issues, the problem will still persist. So, wenger should forget about the forward line and focus on the defence for now

  2. scottfromoz says:

    Martinez will do fine.
    Morning everyone.
    Another kid gets his chance……..hey, there’s always a positive 🙂

  5. potter says:

    Wenger needs to concentrate on a spine for the whole team . It starts at the back through the middle and i suppose he will say that Giroud coming back will be his forward.

  6. rico says:

    Not worried about Martinez too much Scott, just the kid behind him on the bench and the defensive players in front of him…

  8. kene says:

    Morning all. Mert was too slow to react in Hull’s 2nd goal. I hope we don’t see a repeat of that tomorrow. We don’t need a striker, we need a quality dm and another good cb for now! Welbeck and Sanchez are the hard workers in the team and they are beginning to carve out an understanding on the pitch.

  9. Adam says:

    What a shambles Kroenke’s lot are if that story has real legs and basis in fact. I think he may find that Arsenal supporters will let him know soon enough if he continues to let this slide continue. It’s going to be a long way back for him and I doubt he will ever be accepted here except by those who are hanging onto him to line their own pockets. As far as I can see he is entirely the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time. He should stick to stiching up customers in his own backyard where people don’t talk to each other but rather they “reach out”.

  11. Joaquim Moreira says:

    in fact, we haven’t any more option for GK.
    Moreover, we defend worst then the last season and we are more soft then last year. Everybody worries about this, wants to improve those lack things. hope we can replace and revitalize them and at the final, we are worst in this season

  14. potter says:

    Adam I just read the Denver Post’s reaction to it , a rather interesting comment from a Rapids supporter.:-
    In addition, Hinchey told Bianchi that he was “too young” for something he didn’t specify and told him to “enjoy the weather,” which is both an attack on his chosen profession (weatherman) and a veiled threat at his current part-time job as MLSSoccer.com beat writer.

    Look, we’re all frustrated at how this season turned out. I’m sure that Hinchey is tired of hearing the criticism, as well. He probably thought the last place he would have to hear it was from his own (subcontractor?) employee. But this isn’t the first time he has lashed out Monfort-style at a blogger or a writer covering the Rapids from his own personal email for criticizing the Front Office. Not having someone currently doing his PR dirty work must be wearing on him.

    We love this club. We spend our own time and effort and money following this club. We try our best to make their jobs easier and make them successful by buying merch, buying season tickets and giving their constant rebuilding the benefit of the doubt.

    But the fact of the matter is this. We were here before KSE. We were here before the current Rapids Front Office. And like it or not, we’ll be here long after they have all moved on.

    The parallels are interesting. Maybe we should reach out to them and see if there is common ground to unsettle the Kroenke’s

  18. Joaquim Moreira says:

    and we are unlucky with the features. Next Saturday will played versus sunderland who suffered a terrrilble defeat last saturday. Probably they want change and clear at home, the bad image of last saturday…

  23. Adam says:

    Potter. I agree. The fans have seen where all this has been heading for a lot longer than it seems our manager and board have. The slide could be exponential if nothing is done to arrest it. Is Wenger really going to go out and buy the players we have needed for quite a few seasons now? If he does then won’t that be the same as him admitting he has had it wrong for a long, long time? If we are to continue under his stewardship with any prospect of success it seems to me that it is going to require an enormous change in the way he does things and that includes his tactics, game preparation and on- field management of situations. It would probably need a change of the player’s attitudes and replacements at board level too. Wavy’s suggestion that he may be physically past it could be playing out before our eyes. Last night WBA confirmed what Hull showed us on Saturday. There are no easy games in the PL these days and failing to prepare properly for each and every one is going to be fatal. For me, that’s where we are right now. Right on the cusp.

  29. Drake says:

    @rico But averytime we play the 4-1-4-1 we dont perform that well.our 2 best performances came when we used a 4-2-3-1

  30. Adam says:

    BT. That is a difficult one. I would like to think so but this last transfer window, his treatment of Rosicky and Campbell, his refusal to buy Cesc and his seeming astonishment at our injury situation suggest to me that the answer is probably no. As you know though, my major concern has been with the way he sends the team out with poor preparation and the crazy way we defend, or don’t.
    The team is really a reflection of the manager and the craziness on the field doesn’t bode we’ll for his general togetherness and organisation.

  31. rico says:

    Drake, I just meant that we haven’t won much this season so to lay the blame on one player would be unfair imo. We have a few who are under performing and they all need to wake up and start putting a shift in for 95 minutes…

  33. Wavy says:

    Adam, I reckon a long time ago, a very long time ago, Wenger picked upand read Sir Mat brushbyme’s autobiography, where ever the quote comes from when asked, “what tactics do you use and what do you say to your players before you send them out on a Saturday afternoon?” He famously replied, “if they score four against you boys, you go down the other end and score five!” And they usually did! Wenger took this marvellous coaching guru’s advice and that’s what he does now! Defend don’t be foolish, we have great forwards who can score at will! As we witnessed last Saturday, for example.
    Sadly he’s just stuck in his ways! In a sense he was right, in the days of Henry et al, we were able to score almost at will, but that’s history. Virtually every team member between the years of ’96 and ’04 was exceptional, that is certainly not the case now, nor anything like.
    You know you have to move with the times and with the personnel you have available. Our team/squad is at best mediocre and at worst poor, with one or two exceptions, his perception of what he has is overblown and deluded and what is worse he is no longer tactically astute enough to even get the best out of the little talent he has got available to him.
    I could go on but repetition can become tedious and boring!

  37. rico says:

    They were Bt, had many a great trip to there.

    Drake, Ramsey hasn’t played for a few weeks so how can that be right?

  38. potter says:

    Wavy :- The players we have now are a step down to what we had but they are still good players . What they need is organisation and leadership , that comes from the very top and is something that we don’t have and that is Wenger’s responsibility.. The way they get treated sometimes reminds me of a holiday camp where everybody is left smiling no matter what happens. We need a new broom , starting in the boardroom and then through to the manager and the team.

  39. potter says:

    I tend to agree with Drake here . Ramsey and Wilshere take the same spaces. Both are capable but when they are together they seem to narrow down the available room for players making runs. They also slow down the progression through the middle as they are trained to keep the ball they play too many intricate passes to feet instead of looking to release players early into space behind the defence.

  41. rico says:

    But of late, Jack/Ramsey can’t be picked out surely as they haven’t played together. That was the only point I was trying to make really….

    Anyway, I’m for a while….

  42. Rick says:

    Afternoon Rico and the House.
    After a very wet and windy night its now a fine afternoon in the South.
    A big game for the u19 team tonight,a win away to Anerlecht would put us in
    strong postition to finish top of the group. With the exception of Hinds it looks like it is our strongest team.
    More later.

  44. rico says:

    Afternoon Rick, hoping for a double over the Belgium side….

    Would be great if the under 19’s can show the men the way….

  48. George says:

    Afternoon all,

    Sad state of affairs true, but we still have some good players , who if the formation was tweaked and the players on form were pickd , could still do a job on Anderlecht.

    i am expecting us to scrape a 1-0 thanks to Sanchez most likely.

    I am not worried about the defence as Anderlecht are not the greatest going forward. As a team we could all put in a better shift. Sanchez runs his bollox off, as does the ox and Welbeck. This game is too soon for Walcott, but an ideal one to play Tomas Rosicky, and sub him when he picks up his yellow for Arteta(give him a run out for half an hour).

    I am more scared if the Sunderland team who were thrashed 8-0. On their day, and especially after a poyet rocket up the $@#$ will be fired up for us this weekend. I will be surprised if we dont get anymore injuries after tommorow night.

    Why Campbell or Podolski are not getting a look in beats me. Campbell hasn’t done too bad when he’s come on, and Podolski killing off the scum down the road , deserves more than 11 mins as a sub towards the end.

    Just my 2ps’ worth.

  50. George says:

    Rico/ Lee

    Diaby , Ryo , Coquelin, Sanogo, Monreal, Arteta, Rosicky and Jenkinson will be moved on for sure in the summer. I expect Podolski and Campbell to receive offers in January.

    Can’t see Afobe or Akpom being given a chance. They will go the way of Jay Simpson.

  51. potter says:

    Sadly George you are probably right. West Ham can’t believe their luck being gifted Jenkinson and after a season of first team football if you were him would you want to come back ?

  52. George says:

    Potter, sadly Wenger doesn’t rate Jenks and would rather burn out chambers and debuchy.I think Bellerin will be moved on as well , as well as those other dingos like Wellington, Olsson etc

  53. rico says:

    George, I hope Jenkinson comes back…. Although I suspect he’d rather not despite being a Gooner….

    A bad mistake by Wenger imo….

  60. Rick says:

    Shocking end to first half
    .
    2-1 up on 19mins 4-2 down half time.
    Defence all over the place they have been training with the first team two much

  62. allezkev says:

    Apparently Ospina injured himself playing for Nice last season.

    Aggravated the injury in the World Cup.

    And wasn’t fit when Arsenal signed him…

    Shades of Kallstrom… 🙁

  63. Rick says:

    BT sorry just seen your 6.47
    Thank goodness it is not . I would hate to be watching that. Sub at h/t Bola replaced Wright. Defence has improved.Still 4-2 after 73 and we have been close 3 times and have hit the bar.

  64. Rick says:

    Team news for tomorrow.
    Waalctt Gnarbry Hayden and coq are not in the squad.
    Arsene has said Ospina is long term injury and is out for up to 3 months.

  65. Bt62 Gooner says:

    No problem Rick. found it on first row sport but couldn’t get the link to work…From what you have reported i,m glad i didn’t.

  68. Rick says:

    F/T 4-3.
    It looks like we have paid dearly for Chessnys red card against Galatasary.
    Arsene has said Ospina got his injury when he came on as the sub in that match.
    As a result of that Huddart the normal U19 G/K is warming the bench tomorrow
    and 15year old House was in goal tonight.
    I have not seen any of the goals and have no idea if Huddart would have saved any of them but everyone I have spoken to tell me he has been very good during the last few weeks.
    End of Rant.

  70. Rick says:

    Bt I think that is something that Jonker and Kat have installed in the acadamy, it was not there last season.

  74. Rick says:

    6 of tonights team played in the two games against Chelsea BT
    It looks like they have turned things round. I am reading that the first half was played in pouring rain and made things very difficult.
    Are B/M that much better than Roma.

  76. scottfromoz says:

    Morning all.
    Question…..is Ramsey capable of playing the DM role?????
    He’s intelligent enough, and it would allow Jack to play at the same time.

  77. potter says:

    Personally I think it might be a bit like Song ,great for most of the match then the desire to go forward might get the better of him . At this point it would be necessary for Jack to drop in and chances are that won’t happen.

  78. scottfromoz says:

    Potter, if reckon Aaron has a hell of a lot more discipline than Song though, and the intelligence to bomb forward only when he has cover….Song just didn’t care, and never ran back, to compound the issue.

  81. sukky says:

    Wenger won’t play any of his pet(Ramsey or wilshere) as a DM,he wants to finish their carry with injuries.He will play them until they are out for years.Wenger is stupid and clueless.But ♍Ɣ sadness is that ‘will he leave after his current contract?’I don’t think so.10 more years of Wenger and SK .

  82. Adam says:

    I just heard about Ospina being out for Gawd knows how long. I am (virtually) speechless. But still slightly amused 🙂

  83. sukky says:

    †̥ђis is just †̥ђƺ beginning of †̥ђƺ injury crisis.Up next is mart,WS01 and alexie,then we are ……

  88. BrainwashedKev says:

    So Wenger actually signed a goalkeeper last summer, who wasn’t fit…

    It’s as stupid as signing a player with a back injury…

  93. Rick says:

    How about tthis Kev,

    Tonight played a schoolboy in goal, and had aeven younger one as sub.
    Only problem was when theuy arrived they found he was not included in the squad and could not play him. There was no sub g/k, on the bench.
    You cant make it up can you.

  94. Bt62 Gooner says:

    Rick, i read that and apparently it’s not the first time something like this has happened, regarding Arsenal….

  96. scottfromoz says:

    Sukky, I asked a genuine question, so if you can’t be bothered giving a genuine answer, don’t bother answering at all.
    As for this just being the beginning of our injury crisis, have you been asleep for a few years?.
    Morning all.
    Anyone care to offer an opinion on Ramsey at DM until January?

  98. Adam says:

    Morning Brudder. Is it just me or is there a deep flaw in buying players with long term injuries and broken backs?
    Scott. Until Ramsey gets some form he will be a liability anywhere. His season has been disastrous up until now. We badly need him to recapture last year’s rhythm and scoring edge.

  99. scottfromoz says:

    Adam, that’s partly why I’m looking at this idea…..how touch is way off, so maybe the ball coming to him will help.
    Lee, who the hell knows why we’d sign a guy with an injury?
    It’s beyond a joke.

  100. Lee says:

    I think Wenger must have health issues and I’m 100% serious….that or he gets a kick out of signing injured/perma crocks!

    Rico your earlier question who I’d sell…
    Diaby
    Ryo
    Coquelin
    Sanogo
    Arteta
    Flamini
    Rosicky
    Podolski
    Wilshere

  101. BrainwashedKev says:

    Morning Adam, Lee, Scott.
    Morning All.
    Thanks Rick, nope that doesn’t suprise me…

    Signing players with injuries wouldn’t be so much of a problem if Arsenal had a medical set up like AC Milan.
    But we don’t, wè have Colin Lewin…

  102. BrainwashedKev says:

    Anyone who thinks that because Sunderland lost 8-0 at Southampton last weekend, that Arsenal are gonna have it easy this weekend, could be in for a disappointment…

    Mannone will have a stormer…
    I reckon another draw…

  103. Adam says:

    Brudder. That’s an interesting list. The rumour mill is running now. Could be a self fulfilling prophecy where a new manager is concerned. Watching Bayern last night I was reminded of the negativity I was met with when I suggested Pep should really be the next Arsenal manager. He really is rubbish isn’t he?

  105. rico says:

    Morning Lee, Adam, Scott, Kev and all…

    Not sure what happened last night Kev, just found your comments in moderation…

    Lee, I’m with you on all bar Jack. His off field stuff annoys me but there’s a footballer in there…

  107. Lee says:

    I think he’s turd of a bloke and will be plagued with injuries because of his bow legged stance plus the way he plays football. He should be scoring more goals too……

  108. Adam says:

    Solid manager Brudder. Chelsea probably played their best quality football under him before he was sacked. One thing is for sure. As a leading Italian manager, he would sort our bloody defence out before anything else. Roma are a good team but they were blown away by Bayern last night. Destroyed really.

  109. Adam says:

    Managing players just out of their teens who are multi millionaires with enormous egos requires a special approach perhaps. We have a couple who are far too full of it.

  111. scottfromoz says:

    Hi guys.
    Adam, I think it’s fair to say Pep has done a brilliant job, but he’s still not proven he can build a side, but players all say he is very thorough, and tactically very good.
    Would he come to us with Stan at the helm?
    I doubt it.
    Jack, in current form, must bring 25-30 million.

  113. BrainwashedKev says:

    Crowley got a hat-trick last night, that kid looks the biz…

    Adam, what about the manager at Atletico, he’s quite good…

    Sadly, I think that when Pep eventually comes to the EPL, that he’ll go to ManCity…

    Pep is ambitious, he’ll want to go to an ambitious club…

    He doesn’t really fit into the Billy Beane mould…

  118. Adam says:

    Scott. He did ok at Barcelona but I assume the argument would be that he had a lot of brilliant players. As for building a team. If you are talking about bringing in new players then ok, but Bayern and him were a bit out of sync last season and in a sense he has built a team really. By getting the players to buy into his ways and bringing in someone like Alonso I see it that he has ‘built’ a team by amalgamating German efficiency with a bit of flair. Not too dissimilar to what Arsene did when he first arrived at the club. Kept a solid defence and added a midfield to protect it and create. Seems a bloody long time ago now. I see Pep in Manchester next though. Unfortunately because I used to see him at the Emirates often.

  119. Adam says:

    Simeone is an interesting choice if you want to build a team that goes to war on the pitch. Show him a Mourinho side and he would be like a raving nutter in his quest to kick the crap out of them. Mmmm, yes, he’ll do.

  121. scottfromoz says:

    Adam, he did brilliantly at Barca, and is doing equally well at Bayern.
    The guy can coach, no doubt.
    As it stands, we need more than that.
    He must prove he can do it, but not for one second am I suggesting he can’t.
    Lee, have you for spy cam at my place hahaha

  124. Lee says:

    Did you know that more Americans have been married to Kim Kardashian than have died of Ebola…. just saying!

  127. Adam says:

    Diego might be too much of a risk for Chips. I doubt he plays much bridge, but at least he would challenge the Syrup to match his ambition. It would be a fun ride though.
    These are the sort of things people at the games talk about these days. We’ll probably end up with Moyes or Junker though. Or perhaps Billy Beane even. He doesn’t spend much.

  134. Lee says:

    I see Sterling was too knackered to play for England but managed to party in a nightclub with the Ox until 3.00am the day after the game…….

  135. rico says:

    What was OC doing with him, what was he doing partying? Jeez, when will some of our players knuckle down and concentrate on football!!

  136. BrainwashedKev says:

    It’s a dangerous job I do Potter…

    People just don’t appreciate the risks I take every day, to do my civic duties…

  137. Adam says:

    Rico. If you had seen OC on Saturday it would all make more sense. Big-time Charlie. Plenty to say, bundles of dough. Achievements in the game?

  140. rico says:

    Adam, I know he had a bad game on Saturday but usually he’s one of a few who is putting a shift in. But I really struggle to understand why, when football is such a short career, players are out late at night during the season…

  143. scottfromoz says:

    Buying kids from different clubs is bad way to go.
    They don’t have the club at heart, and know they can go elsewhere.
    Local juniors means kids who grew up following Arsenal, and only ever want to play for Arsenal.

  145. Adam says:

    Scott. You are forgetting the money factor. 🙂
    If someone had given me a million quid when I was 18 I doubt I would be here now.
    Rico. He can play well, but in short bursts. We still have no idea what his best position is really.

  154. rico says:

    That’s a different story and you are spot on, they need a bit of discipline. A few boot camps would do them all the world of good!

  156. scottfromoz says:

    Lee, with players agents in their every day, yes, I can see them doing it under any manager.
    Being a manager now would be like being a kindergarten teacher, except it’s dealing with more immature people 🙂

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