For the first time in a while Theo Walcott has a player breathing down his neck for a starting right in the side and for the first time in a long while I am believing it’s time for Theo to have his butt placed on the bench just to remind him that he needs to work a bit harder.
Forget his couple of goals and his assists, what about the rest of his game?
His pace alone does a job I know but he’s not training for the 2012 Olympic Games, he’s a footballer and recently it’s actually been hard to tell if he’s on the pitch or not most of the time. He’s body language is poor, he’s becoming more and more argumentative with the officials and he really isn’t getting involved enough in our games so far.
He spends most of his time talking to the media, telling us he wants to play centrally and he’s always got something to say about either himself, Arsenal or England.
Well I say he should stop all his talking and start concentrating on his game otherwise he might just find himself frozen out.
Breathing down his neck however is a young Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain, he’s eighteen years old and has just put in two great performances for the England under 21’s and he followed that with another outstanding display for the reserves on Tuesday night.
In the England friendly against Israel, Pearce’s side were 1-0 down at half-time and Chamberlain was introduced at the beginning of the second half, a second half in which he created all the goals in a comprehensive 4-1 victory! Not bad eh?
He played a major part in the 6-0 battering of Azerbaijan a few days earlier too…
The player himself is ready in his own mind and I for one think it’s time he had his chance:
I’m quite confident to take people on – if there’s a one against one I’ll definitely take it on if I feel I can get a cross in or set someone up, If there’s a shot on I like to take the opportunity as well, and I like passing the ball – which is one of the reasons I came to Arsenal.
But I’m a player that likes to come up with an end product – whether that’s a goal, an assist or helping the team to get good results.
When talking about his Dad:
He’s hands-on when he needs to be – he’ll let me know when I’m not doing well or need to improve something, and he gives me plenty of good advice. When I do well, though, he won’t go over the top – he’ll quietly say ‘well done’, and point out where I could still improve. He’ll never let me get ahead of myself and it’s the same with my mum, even if she gets a bit more excited!
My dad’s very calm and he does things in the right way for me – I understand him, and he’ll always be honest about how I’m doing. I still realise now that I haven’t reached the pinnacles I plan to, so I wouldn’t say I’ve made it yet either.”
He’s spot on, he hasn’t made it yet but I don’t think Theo Walcott has either but in his short career he’s already written a book and his talk is bigger and better than his walk right now. Chamberlain on the other hand has his feet on the ground, his father makes sure they stay that way too and along the way, he’s getting a bit of good advice….
For Theo, there is nothing better than a short sharp hoof up the Jacksie to make him realise that he has real competition and there is no better way to learn that, than a game or two on the bench.
If Theo Walcott has it in him to really improve, he will fight for his place back and the best way to do that is to work hard and perform on match days, not go missing for 85 minutes!
We cannot afford to carry players this season, everyone needs to give 100% but at the moment, I don’t think Walcott is giving that.
Chamberlain however, just might.
morning all….
Morning all…
You are an early bird today Lee …
Oxo in for Theo??
yes please! ethere was a good article in the evening standard last night….will post it
Theo appears to float in and out of games, granted it was a good assist on Tues but apart from that he was non-existant, he seems to have gone backwards from last season. Maybe up front he could be used better as he certainly can’t cross all that well
Morning.
good post mate spot on theo has been poor for the last few games now we have a squad give miyachi and park a game leave the underperformers or tired players on the bench, use the capabilities of the squad and get them some gametime because shrewsbury in the carling cup isn’t going to prove much in terms of quality or organised oppostion especially at home !!! was good to hear the judas **** make a mistake last night lets hope for many more 😉
AOC over theo any day of the week but we need wenger to make substitution earlier than later. What’s the use having players like park santos and AOC on the bench if he won’t play them? In other news jack the lad and the verm are back in training. Good times eh? Morning good people.
Spot on, good article. I couldn’t help feeling that if Overmars had played as Walcott did on Tuesday (despite the assist), he would have retired from football immediately, in shame. Does no-one at the club tell Theo the other 85% of the game he’s supposed to be doing?
Thanks Lee –
Walcott frustrates the heck out of me, i just wish sometimes he would be more direct, just because he’s stuck out on the wing, he doesn’t ned to stay there and he has shown what he can do when he wants to but he doesn’t do it enough imho..
I know he is not a winger but surely it’s logic to get the ball, use his pace towards goal and wham – shot on goal….
He also goes to ground too easily, whereas Chamberlain looks bigger and stronger and very eager to prove himself.
Just be thankful for what you’ve got, ye Gooners of little faith
by Dan Jones
Luck, as has been remarked many times in the past, is a matter of perception. Here’s the classic philosophical chew-bone. You are walking along the street one day. All of a sudden you fall down a manhole cover. You break both your legs, crack your pelvis and half-drown in raw sewage.
After a while, you are rescued by a kindly passer-by, who hears your howls and calls the fire brigade. As you are lying in your hospital bed, broken, stinky but conscious, you wonder: am I unfortunate to have fallen, or lucky to be alive?
Tricky, huh? Let’s consider it from another angle. Perhaps you are Arsene Wenger.
You have a ‘mare of a summer. Your two best players decide they’re off. UEFA decide to ban you from the touchline, mainly because they can. Half your remaining team are struck down all at once by injury.
Your club decline to attack the transfer market with all the financial abandon of a sovereign Gulf state and when you do spend money, you are initially struck by the thought that cutting-edge support for Robin van Persie might be provided by a shimmying galoot called Gervinho.
Then: you go to play the German champions, Borussia Dortmund, in your first match of the Champions League group stages. (Naturally, UEFA have roped off the technical area with standard-issue tape bearing the words This Touchline Is A Wenger Free Zone.) You determine to sit in the stands and tell the press that you will be sending ‘vibes’ to your players. The press titter and write snide things about you, as the press are wont to do.
The match begins. Now you observe that Dortmund are essentially an exact vision of the youthful, homegrown, electrifying club that you have aspired to create for around half a decade. They torment your team for long spells of a difficult game, cheered on by a lusty crowd of around 75,000. The most potent threat comes from a young man by the name of Mario Gotze – a player whom you would love to have bought in the aforementioned ‘mare of a summer, had Dortmund not told you to go and bloody whistle.
Fortunately, your ‘vibes’, such as they are, seem to get through to a few of your players. Van Persie, a truly top-class striker, is getting them, and he slots you coolly in front after 42 minutes.
Two of your new signings, Per Mertesacker and Mikel Arteta, have solid games, indicating that they are reasonable additions to the squad.
After defending their lead for most of the second half, sometimes with confidence and occasionally in desperation, on 88 minutes your team finally succumb to the goal that has been threatened since the beginning of the match. You come away from your first Champions League tie with a draw and a point away from home.
Now, you decide: lucky? Or unlucky?
If you follow the ‘Arsenal in crisis’ line that is gaining near-universal acceptance, you may well consider last night’s result another minor disaster. Weak-minded Arsenal . . . failed to defend a lead . . . deserved to be beaten . . . Wenger’s lost the plot . . . and so on. You’ve probably been on the line to talkSPORT to rant about it already.
But might we lift our heads from the funk and the gloom, if only for a second? Could we not argue that Arsenal, unsettled as they are, showed that they do at least still have a measure of the devil’s luck about them? Wenger’s team hinted last night that they still have qualities that will see them through some of the gloomiest patches they have endured during his 14-and-a-bit seasons at the club. They showed resilience during Dortmund’s onslaught.
They squeaked a point when they were up against it and their manager was consigned to the stands. They were two minutes away from taking all three points – and only a wonderful volley by Ivan Perisic managed to beat the increasingly heroic Wojciech Szczesny.
No, the Gunners did not play all that well. But they did enough to take away something from a difficult game, and by the end they had Dortmund scrambling for a way to save a point at home.
Arsenal avoided the real attack on the morale that defeat would have inflicted. They can build – slowly – from here. There are some Arsenal fans for whom life at the moment seems stacked against them. And it’s easy to see why.
However, it’s not all lost quite yet. Be thankful for what you’ve got, ye Gooners of little faith.
You’re still alive; even if it only barely seems worth the pain at the moment.
Just concentrate on that. The rest, as they say, will follow.
otherwise why not give him the chance as a ‘no9’
rvp can play ‘no10’
I think theo isn’t a great player but he has great pace, the problem is you need to find a formation that suits the players you’ve got fit
I hope arsenal can get some form, then top four might just happen this year. with any cup we have a chance.
aoc will have first team football this year, I hope the players learn eachother’s games quickly because it’s looking a bit laboured.
come on arsenal
Hi Alex
I don’t think the 433 system helps his cause, no more than it did Nik, it’s square pegs in round holes, he needs to be given a chance centrally or given a rest imho – just see what oxo is really about…
Morning Kt and goonster
Ive said this for two years ,it would be good for the team to put OXO in ,he’s earned the right to start .I noticed Jenkinson was having a word with Theo and Theo was argueing back ,his defensive duties are pretty much none existent .I would also like to see Ryo or Park given a run too,two very exciting players
Yes pls. At least get some chance for AOC. We need a more consistent, solid, determine, with-brain winger.
Morning to those just joining today..
Honestly, Theo is very average, to think we had ljunberg on that wing! How about miyaichi, from what ive seen he looks like he fuins fullbacks lives. Lets give one of them a chance.
leftfooted – i’m with you, paly him central with RvP or Park – don’t try and make players play to a system, play the system the players are suited to and that is clearly not 433 or whatever we play these days….
Great post Lee….spot the fuck on. We should be grateful. We are not a finished article but once we get there, we ll be a handful again and hey we are playing without any pressure. No one expects us to do well so they are in for a rude awakening. COYGs. Men is it to early to be tipsy? I guess not…come on!
Agree goonster, say what you want about Maureen but when he was at Chelsky he would not hesitate making supstitutions in the 1st half if he saw that his plan was not working. Wish that the manager would at least change things at half time as if the players know that the will be subed if they are not up to scratch then maybe they will give the extra effort needed or if it is obvious that the team setup is wrong.
That’s a really good article Lee, he must be a Gooner 🙂
Terry – trouble is we only really had Eboue to take his place before and he wasn’t a fav with all fans – he’s no winger either but finally we have one……
Yeah TT I remember the fucker took out bularouz minutes after sending him in! just cause he got beat easily. Wenger ll never do that. Instead he ll remove another player probably the one having the game of his life. It beggars belief. Sometimes I wonder if he actually knows what he is doing!
Stan, you seen that MM has a get out clause in his new contract?
He’s coming to us Lee…..petit xavi wants to wear the red and white and guess what? He’s already ahead of the fat ponce in the national team set up. What I ll give to have one over that turd,nashit. Won’t it be grand that after he signs for us he kicks nashit out of the national side all his career just like kahn did Lehman. Poetic justice huh? Am all giddy this morning can you tell? Come on MM come on!
you been slurping??
Theo can stand next to pat rice shouting at players, that seems to be his main contribution nowadays.
TT – very good point, some of AW’s subs are strange, he’s not been one for taking poor performers off early enough…
Now though, we have a stronger bench – time to change….
hi all very good commentary. I would like to see the young guy play for us on a regular basis; he’s truly talented. I remember that I was very impressed with him and I first saw him play against ManU last year. They way he moved, with or without the ball, was fantastic. He has awareness and footballing brain that’s partly missing from Theo’s game. He’s also elegant on the ball.
But I think he can also play in the middle of the park as a replacement for Cesc or next to Arteta maybe. He’s a very useful player.
Lee, i think MM could be heading our way very soon, with Cahill hopefully 🙂
Hi A&N – he’s really changed and it;s not all good either
The best story ever written on Theo. I strongly agree with you.
he need’s to use a lil bit more of his head rather than just he’s speed.
he was good last season because there was cesc who loves to give out through balls for everybody. now cesc’s isn’t here no more and he needs to learn that.
apart from his assist for vp on teus, he’s game was horrible.
he plays football without using any sense of his brain.It’s an honest opinion.
If he continues on like this, he’ll never ever reach the height of Thierry Henry. Coz Henry wasn’t just all bout agility, he’s effin smart too. he plays using his brain in every game. That’s the big difference between Theo and him.
Dude I had a wild night with a couple of guys from work. Guess am still knackered or so.
Maybe Walcott has been hanging around the likes of Rooney and Terry too much….
Hi famy, thank you…
i think Theo has it in him somewhere, but he needs to bring it onto the pitch each game…
Or having late nights with Goonster and his mates:)
I’d still replace Walcott with with Miyachi instead of AOC.
Its the heat Rico…first we sign AOC then brought back ryodinho back from feyenoord and finally we brought in ben ayoun and park who can also play on the wings. He’s running scared guys. Its a good thing,no?
😆 TT
Hi ESP, isn’t Ryo a left sided player?
a tad bit harsh on theo
i do not know why theo is not given an opportunity upfront or start on the left
with his pace cutting in from the left he can either cut in or go round the outside, if he starts on the right his only option is to go on the outside
his finishing when cutting in from the left to curl the ball in with his right foot is excellent – for example his goal against udinese and thats where he played most of the time at southampton!!
it would be a perfect opportunity for wenger to play walcott left wing against blackburn who have the ageing michel salgado at right back – if theo has got something about him then he should be ripping salgado apart!!!!
Yeah he is indeed, but I would play Gervinho on the right.
goonster – but that should spur him on, make him play better knowing there are players ready to take their chance….
we have cried out for proper competition in this squad for a few seasons, now we have it… and yes, it’s a good thing..
Theo Walcot may become a world class player if he focus on his role as wide man and stop dreaming about playing as striker. He’s not a striker at the moment and then we have arguably the best player in the premier legue.
I’m really looking forward to seeing Park given a chance.This guy has something special and it looks like we only have him for two years.apprently V and Wilshire are training today,if we ever get everyone fit we should have quite a few permitations to use and alternative attacking options other than Theo running up blind alleys. anyway good luck to GB&I in the vivendi Sevi trophyand come on Ian Poulter (son)
Jack and Verm already training? I’m optimistic about us coming back from the ashes.
I agree. Against Dortmund it became clear that Theo is a really good played with a big problem. His desire to win the ball and his easy acceptance of losing it is discouraging. Looking at players like Lois Suarez of Liverpool, who fight for every ball, Walcott is almost a poser. Even Lionel Messi, superstar, will fight for ever ball. Theo is far away from superstardom because he just doesn’t have the desire of the true greats.
I think he’d be better as a striker Osi, but he’s certainly not a convincing footballer right now…
Hi Terry – you and me both re Park, hope we get to see him soon, like you say, he’s only with us for two years before returning home so i hope he gets his chance….
Maybe BB would be a good time, give rvp a break…
Spot on Steve….
Not the full agme rico as he has no game time in the prem yet. Would like to see him come on in the 2nd half and get a full run out in the CC next week. He will be a great asset though of that I am sure.
TT – i’d start him to be honest, he’s fit and ready having recently played two matches for Korea, throw him in i say 😉
rico he maybe a very good striker in the future and if finishing is a good indication of a very good striker then he has it. However, the problem is that we have the most talent striker, in my opinion, in the premier league. I don’t think anyone can compete with the conversion rate of Van nor his ability to come back and create chances for others. That’s the modern striker.
the other point I wanted to people to look at is that Theo performed well against most consistent and talented left back in the EPl Ashley Cole when he wanted to. And even against Evra on some occasions. His problem is the focus; in matches where his focus is right he performs well whereas in others he doesn’t. He should think about his approaches to game in general and I’m sure he’d be a very good winger. Also you need to consider that our formation is dynamic and he’s not supposed to stay wide all the time he can come inside or go left exchange with Gerv, ARsh or even Van persie, so definitely he’ll get into striking positions about quarter of the matches. We saw that in Udinese and ManU game.
Yes internationals….they are nowhere near the games up norf against the oigers……Have RvP and co get a couple of goles and then throw on Park and have him get his first taste medalstudded wooden clups…
*metalstudded
Another player who goes missing then osi, exactly my point too – he cannot afford to play that way, he cannot pick and choose which games he fancies preforming in…
Said the same earlier about just becuase he starts wide he doesn’t have to stay there, theat’s where his own intelligence should tell him when it’s time to cut into the middle, or be more direct at goal when he picks up the ball, but seldom does he seem to use his brain – when he does, it works….
We need to change to 4-4-2 and give Robin some help, we don’t get the best of him when he’s isolated, he needs a player to feed and feed off and i always fear he is one game away from his usual season injury, yes he is great but i truly hope the club are monitering his GPS better than they did Jack wilsheres….
TT – but we are not getting the early goals at the moment – why not start with him, see if he can change that? 😉
I would use him as a sub but I take your point about the lack of early goals. I would rather have him start next tuesday and rest RvP then but its an interesting player i must admit. i quite like his work off the ball and thats where Theo could learn from.
TT – i take your point too about BB may not be the best place to start him, the CC game would be a much better option, in front of the home fans etc….
Either way, I think we all look forward to seeing just who Ju Park is…
🙂
I’m not sure Theo has the technical ability and guile to play as a striker, he certainly does not have the strength. I find him incredibly frustrating to watch as he often repeats the same mistakes. Yet he’s managed to score most of our goals so far in this early part of the season. Personally I think he’s a dud, but should be given more time as he could be a so called ‘late developer’.
Right lets try and put this in perspective .Theo has got tallent thats for sure ,Pace is in abundance ,Ryo has pace in abundance too he is as quick as Theo but has a brain to go with it which makes him better on tracking back and decision making.Unfortunately Theo doesn’t seen to make runs he has to be fed which leaves him playing in a groove up the right side unless he’s told to switch he will never move from that groove.How many times have you seen T operate down the left (never).A good player should be able to play left, right or centre.Ryo can do that T can’t.But hey what do we know he’s playing in the Premiership and we’re moaning .I think Arsen will make the changes slowly and bring in Park and Ryo and Oxo and we will see some excitement back.Come on Theo get switched on mate .
Anyone see he Esteban Granero rumors?
I would really love to see him upfront with RvP in a 442 his off the ball running will stretch defences on every turn and that combined with RvP guile will open up holes in any defence either for the strikers, wingers or a runner from midfield. Can you imagine a porous defence haveing OXO and Ryo or Theo + Park and RvP running into the gaps? The mouth waters at the thought but I fear the manager is too entrenced in the 433 formation to consider that.
TerryPoulter I agree; a good player should be able to play left and right, that’s exactly what Gervinho does and what Chamberlain could do in my opinion. I saw him playing on the left and crossing on the left so wonderfully. You need intelligence and techniques to be able to do. At the moment Theo is the victim of his own thinking.
hi scully – i’d like to see him given the chance to play striker, he’s better when he doesn’t have time to think and he’s shown he can put the ball in the net…
Terry – feed him the ball centrally, let his pace beat the defence and he’ll finish more times than not..
I can’t comment on Ryo, he hasn’t played for us in a competative match, he’s still young and we can’t expect to much too soon…
ESP, no, what’s that?
TT – totally agree re the system, wenger is fixated by it so it seems but i don’t think we have the right players to play that system anymore, we haven’t for a while…
Just that we could be in for Granero come Jan, I highly doubt it though.
Hi these are my observations of theo….
a)Hes fast( everyone knows that)
b)Hes not got any skills on the ball – give him the ball and see him run to the line like his life depends on it.he just doesnt know how to handle the ball when he has people haggling him.
c)one footed
d)seems to think he can win by running fast- he has to wait to bring other players into the game too.
e)he cant play centrally – hes just another version of jay simpson with pace, no power…if he has been given through passes in open spaces there is a chance he scores…he cant score goals like henry..
Ok…what can he do then??
a)Slow down – Yes.first stop running at full speed as soon as u get the ball.Learn to keep the ball at ur feet like midfielders can( ask help from jack if u want to know how). Then move at a pace of cantering, only to accelerate when u see some space.This can scare the crap out of defenders.A player who can keep ball+amazing pace is very much henryesque.
b)Practise with ur other foot.yes-holding, passing shooting( with power), crossing and even tackling.
c)Practise moving into positions – ive seen walcott being stationary in the edge of the oppo box when a move is going on the other flank.he has to attack the box more often
d)Calm down during the game.no need to shout at teammates and refs- u are neither rooney nor bellamy. A calm player is the most effective one.
e)Practise dribbling as a skill to enhance ur repertoire of tricks.
f)Stop talking to the press at the drop of a hat.Most of us think u are deluded if u want a central role with no skill on the ball.
g)Mentally dont be switched off as soon as u contribute a little to the team.He seems to go down in performance as soon as he does something like an assist or a good cross or even a goal.A winner is switched on till the end…
h)After u have done all the above u go over to AW and “DEMAND” a central role…..u will get it…
Rico is our current lack of winning related to system or the quality of our squad? At the moment, it seems we don’t have the quality to win games. We can only blame the system once we have the quality players needed at this level and we play with most of first team starters. The system worked well last season with Theo/Nas/Fab/Van all on fire and in that period we played our most beautiful football. Arsene fixated with 4-3-3 ? Arsene, as I saw it over the years, has always changed formations and system of play, whether 4-4-2, 4-5-1 or 4-3-3?
Just been reading that ESP after your comment, i can’t see much truth in that one, would be nice though – however, i’d still rather we bought a tough tackling midfielder and another central defender first
rico, ur welcome.
i’d personally like to see ryo starts on blackburn game. i’d like to see him tearing apart blackburn’s backline.believe me, the kid’s got speed u know? and he’s even on par with walcott.
about AOC, the boy’s also good, in fact, he can play just anywhere, on the wing, attacking mid, or even a striker.I’d also like to see him playing on sat. + park as the man up front, while having arteta, song and frimpong in the middle.
If it doesn’t work out, make a couple of changes at 60th minute.
It’s sad though to see Lansbury loaned out again this season. I’d thought he would be given more first team chances this year. I’ve been following him last season and believe me he’s effin good.
just look at him now and how he plays for west ham.
loaning vela and bendtner was the correct decision from aw, but not lansbury. I feel sorry for the lad.
Osi for the 433 to work we need players like cesc and Nasri. When we where at our best in the 90’s and noughts we played more or less 442 all the time and our most creative player then was Pires and Bergkamp and they where players that would use penetrating passes fast and long if needed. not like in the recent years when we have used short and very quick passing to try to use the triangles to weawe our way through. With out players like Cesk and Nasri we cant do that anymore but we can at least use Arteta nd Jack when he is back to set the wingers and the strikers free by using only few quick and longer forward passes..
We need hazard theo is shit he can’t even control a ball we need a very good winger that treatens any defence
I think AW is somehow crazy bcs he would av seen some brainless display of Theo on and off d pitch. Why nt giving Miyanchi or Ox a chance to show d stuff they av in nd make Theo inferior in our team. Putting him on d bench for 2 weeks or more ll definitely sign a warning 2 him 2 improve his game. I stl lik Walcot bt right now he’s nt d player we need at this a MUST WIN era that we are in. Prof, pls Ox is beta thn Walct right now.
Likewise Park, he only av 2 seasöns wt us. Pls giv him 40 minutes 2 prove his worth. Up gooners!lay of Theo on and off d pitch. Why nt giving Miyanchi or Ox a chance to show d stuff they av in nd make Theo inferior in our team. Putting him on d bench for 2 weeks or more ll definitely sign a warning 2 him 2 improve his game. I stl lik Walcot bt right now he’s nt d player we need at this a MUST WIN era that we are in. Prof, pls Ox is beta thn Walct right now.
Likewise Park, he only av 2 seasöns wt us. Pls giv him 40 minutes 2 prove his worth. Up gooners!
rico so you’re saying that system only doesn’t work this season? If so, I think that has something to do with us missing quality players. I think with Arshavin and Gervinho, Diaby and Jack back we can make the system work again. Arsh, if in form, and Gerv can exchange, come in, go wide and with VP dropping back creating chances Arsh and Gerv can go through the middle. that way our dynamicity is back.
Anyway, for me it’s too early to talk about Fixation because I understand it you’re only talking about this season; few games?
Afternoon, Rico, 🙂
A very nicely written Post which hits the nail on the head.
As you know, I have always been ambivalent about Theo. When I watched him play against our Junior sides he looked absolutely fantastic. When he joined us I had it fixed in my mind that he would set our world alight.
I have always judged him on that standard, because I knew he had the ability. Unfortunately, interspersed with some flashes of brilliance (like the goal against the ‘Pool in the CL).
I think he could come good, because he is still a footballing youngster and when the team settle down they might play to his strengths.
However, as you point out, there is a new kid in town. Oxo looks the biz, and if Theo does not front up, he could be yesterday’s news sooner than he thinks!
Sorry, I seem to have deleted part of the sentence above! Ooops.
“Unfortunately, interspersed with some flashes of brilliance, he has produced some pretty sub-standard stuff too. Altho’ for all that he does keep scoring and making assists.”
Hello all,
i’m sure we’ll all agree theo can be really infuriating, drive us all nuts at times but he is one of our players that does try hard for the team when he puts the shirt on, no-one could say he is a lazy player but he is an improving player, how long do we give him, i dunno, he’s got two years left on his contract so time will tell.
He’s still pretty young at 22 and his best years at definately ahead of him.Its a bit unfair to just dismiss the goals that he has scored for us this season as some were really important for us, had we not qualified for the champs league we don’t know if some of our new signings would be with us today.
He ain’t that bad, just watch clips of helder, carter and hayes, they would really make you pull your hair out.
Not sure if ryo or oxo are ready just yet, wasn’t ryo playing for his high school team 18 months ago followed with 6 months playing time in the dutch league, oxo hasn’t played much outside of division 1 so they are still very raw and have a lot to learn, the CC will help them come on alot this season.
I think we gotta get behind the guy, he will chip in with his fair share of goals for us this season, he’s certainly not perfect but he does have arsenal at heart.
If he doesn’t start doing it week in week out he knows there are young hungry players waiting in the wings which can only be good for arsenal in the coming seasons.
famy – i think Ryo is in the same situation as Park, he needs time on the pitch but as TT says, would BB be the best game to start him in?
Oxo is a bit different imho, he’s used to the tough Championship whereas Ryo isn’t..
Maybe we will see him and a couple of others start in the CC at home…
Osi – guess i am just a fan of the 4-4-2 and think each player will know their own role better – in the first half of the BD game, they were all over the place…
Hi RA – long time no see, hope all is well…
Flashes of brilliance from Theo aren’t enough anymore, flashes also show he has the ability, he needs to be making those flashes of brilliance more often otherwise the new kid on the block will indeed push him back…
I know Theo has never ‘rocked your boat’ 😉 He’s starting to not rock mine either and you know ive always been a huge fan….
i figure Theo need to be seated for some matches, we have two speed merchants ready to take his place who are better skilled (Ox and Ryo) put one of them in Theo’s position and we will get more pace with a lot more skill in the game.
I also think Van Persie should be playing the role behind the striker and Use Chamahk or Park as the striker. VP can dribble, shoot and a good passer of the ball and since he his getting older he is the Berkamp of arsenal at the moment
Hi Micko
He certainly does frustrate and you are right, we shouldn’t dismiss his goals and assists but I just wish he could be more consistant – my gripe with him is that he talks too much off the pitch too, he’s starting to sound like Nikki – I love the player, I just think he needs a hoof up the bum, something to make him push on and become the player we all believe is inside him…
I really want to see him and RvP up top together and i think we all know that is where he wants to be too …
His pace, RvP silky skills – that might just work 🙂
Rico like you I’m a fan of 4-4-2 because I thought that’s more exciting and quicker than the other systems. with Henry and co our 4-4-2 allowed us to play the most exciting football ever played; it’s a dominant and quick football full of movement both off and on the ball. I remember I used to say that our football is more exciting than Barca and I wished if only had Ronaldinho in our ranks at the time. All I’m saying is that we need to first see our quality players gel and tick to judge the system.
Interesting article and lots of comments –
Theo is still developing and I would guess he’s got the most goals and assists of anyone (except RvP?) –
But he’s still the quickest way to lose possession short of passing it straight to the opposition thing some of the team like to do sometimes… or falling over… or kicking it out of touch…
Anyway, the bloke who said “Except for his goals and assists what does he do?” sort of sums it up.
I’d like to see more of both young wingers but there’s a reason Theo and Gervinho are starting in big games.
(and right now they’re all big games)
Rico,
I was amused too when I read the Post. (I do most days by the way).
You are quite right in your assessment, it’s just that we have both shifted our views on Theo a bit from a year ago!
A coming together? 🙂
I am fine at the mo’ thanks, other than that my weight has ballooned to 18 stone. I flew up to Scotland for a meeting a couple of weeks ago, and at 6′ 5″ I always had legroom problems – now I have fat arse problems in those tiny seats too!! 🙂
Hope you are keeping well?
Osi – fair point about the new players, i’ll give them another week 😉
Would be nice to see a fully fit squad available but at least the news is good re TV and Jack, any news on Diaby?
no…theo may be frustrating, but who in our side isn’t at this moment? he has three of the seven goals that we have scored this season, as well as an assist on robin’s goal on tuesday night. i don’t think fast-tracking an unproven boy into the side ahead of him is the way to go either. we want to give the likes of ramsey, robin, our new boys, and virtually everyone time to find their form or settle, but not theo? nobody has looked particularly good this season, lets give the players a bit of time here…
and oc has done…what? as a professional footballer? he is a fine prospect, but like miyaichi, that is all he is at the moment, a prospect…we’ll see how he does in the cc side, and hopefully he will start getting some sub appearances in league matches…if he looks good and shows he is ready, then he can supplant theo…but he hasn’t shown it yet – if we fast track him into the team and drop theo for him, we are taking a big gamble, as we have not seen anything to show us he is really ready…
over here – and ra (welcome back!) will appreciate this – we have a saying that in the nfl, the backup quarterback is the most popular player on the team. that is because supporters are often unhapppy with the incumbent and pine for the backup, thinking he cannot do worse…we’re rarely careful about what we wish for…
welcome back ra…not fun to be a nyg fan right now…that was dreadful stuff at fedex on sunday, and their injury list is approaching arsenal proportions…
good comment micko, i am in your corner on this one…
rico are coming back earlier than expected, Ver and Jack? I don’t know what’s going o with Diaby? Arsene said i’ts by the end of August or beginning of Sept., but I don’t hear him back on training? There’s a problem of communicating our injuries?
KTR7 always had interesting views on tactics and strategy and I confess all the talk of 4,3,3, and 4,5,1, etc etc, always went over my head.
But I too have come around to the view that 4,4,2, allows the best of all worlds in that you can relatively easily switch to 4,5,1, or even 4,3,3 provided you have the players to manage it.
(And the manager to make the change from one to the other — there speaks an accountant, not necessarily a strategist! 🙂 )
Chris – yes, they start because they should know how to handle the big games and that’s another fair comment.
What is bizarre though is Theo’s pace usually keeps the oppo defence on the back foot, yet like on tuesday, when we really didn’t need to be sitting back defending in the final moments, Theo was subbed and allowed BD to press forward more and we had nowhere to go – as soon as we cleared the attack, it came right back at us…
Ha ha – not quite RA, or should I say BA 😉
Diaby pulled a muscle when blinking an eyelid so he will be out a bit longer rico 😉
Rico, i’m not trying to big him up, its about time he got his act together now on a more consistent basis, we all know he can do it on his day, if he doesn’t Oxo will be biting at the bit, its great to have competition for places in the team.
I’d hate to see the fans to turn on him, he seems like a genuinely nice guy, just needs to get his head down and start doing the talking on the pitch week in week out.
But seriously will he ever get through a season without being injured for more than 50 % of the games? If he does not get fit soon then it’s time to cut our losses and get in a replacement as he is actually quite a good player when he is fit and gives us more options. But after 4 or 5 years of this it is getting time to reasess and cut our losses.
Hi oliver –
it’s a topic which i believe will always be debated, that is probably down to how Theo frustrates so many – I just wish he could be more consistant….
I’m a huge fan of Theo but just believe he should be doing a bit more on the pitch…
But, I respect the comment about how most of our players have been pretty frustrating, you are spot on there…
I have one very interesting question for those who questioned Nasri’s contribution? Isn’t keeping the ball a skill in itself? Nasri was the only one who use to hold the ball when under pressure and passed always to someone instead of giving it away. Even when he pass he always demanded the ball. In the last few games I didn’t see anyone holding the ball, passing the ball his mate or demanding the ball. How many times we saw our players struggling to find a teammate making himself available for a pass. They were all hidding. Sagna got a yellow card for delaying the throw because noone come forth.
Hi Oliver,
What you say is very true. Both about the popularity of the guy NOT on the pitch – who is often a disappointment when he gets on, but also the way the season has started for the Giants. I watched the game and my heart sank.
At least the Yankees are going well in the ALE standings, unlike your poor old Mets! 🙂
As I said to Rico, Theo has always bugged me because he just doesn’t seem to use his skills, if he did he would set the place on fire, but on the other hand Oxo has really been playing well at U21 level. But — he is very young!
Catch you all later.
my dear your article is superb.Theo walcot is chicken hearted and needs to grow up.You need alot of belief to be a top player and Theo does not have that at the moment.Also Gervino seems to be selfish when he should easily release balls to others.Alex ox c seems to be ready and should be used now rather than later.Thanks again for you piece it’s great.
Why doesn’t theo watch pato play?his goal against barça this week is a perfect example of how to use pace.his acceleration into space was frighteningly henry-esque.no need to dribble just use your pace.Ronaldo can’t dribble like messi and therefore has to rely on his pace alot and he does it into good effect.just wait for a gap and accelerate into it 😉
morning ricco…it’s certainly a topic to discuss, but i am emphatically of the opinion that theo deserves the same chance as everyone else to work through things – and, as frustrating as he has been, there are starting players who have frustrated more given us far less than he has so far this season…
i think we are also at a point right now where we need as much experience as we can get in the starting eleven, as we need to put a sustained run together…oc will get a chance – i am confident of that – but there is no guarantee he will take it…if we drop theo, insert oc ahead of him, and he does worse (shattering his confidence in the process), will it have been worth it?
Micko – i didn’t take your comment to be bigging him up, honest and consistancy is all i hope to see too – he shows in flashes what he can do but now is time for that to be a bit more than just flashes, i hope he can this season…
But like oliver says, there is more than just theo who needs to start performing…
later ra…mets are in a huge tailspin…five losses in a row, and they got a good pitching performance from pelf last night, only for wright to make another error, which accounted for both nats runs…terry is getting killed this morning for his 9th inning antics…with the mets down 2-0, nats closer walks bay and harris to put two runners on, no outs. but terry asks turner – who had the game’s only extra-base hit in the 7th to bunt and move the runners over, instead of seeing a few pitches and maybe getting something to drive…turner pops the bunt up for the first out, and the next two quickly follow…
this is what happens when teams struggle – nobody is picking up baserunners, the team has lost seven of eight and terry is over-managing, trying to find a spark, anything to get them going…it happens to all managers, including arsene…
awaiting the nyg injury news for monday night home opener against kroenke’s nfl team…nicks thinks he will play, but his knee has kept him out of practice…tuck thinks he will play, but neck injuries are nothing to mess around with…we lost far more players than we brought in this offseason, and the injuries have made it that much more difficult…gm jerry reese’s seat must feel just like gazidis’…
Im with oliver on this one,i wouldn’t throw oxo/ryo in the deep end just yet.its too big a gamble and if it fails the psychological damage may be unrepairable to these young guns.
That’s a tough one oliver – Capello dropped him from the England squad last year for the world cup and Theo’s game suddenly stepped up up a bit…
I’m not getting on Theo’s back honest, I want him to step up but somethimes i just cringe watching him stroll around the pitch during matches instead of getting invloved, said the same about others before Theo…
Take care RA.,…
Theo is a player who depends on your speed. The speed is something that is soon lost with age. A player with these features, never has a homogeneous performance throughout a game. It is a flash player appears and opportunities
As for me, Theo is a player who increasingly have to be released preferably on the 2 half, to play the last 30 minutes, taking advantage of their skills and speed, giving a new freshness to the attack and new alternative and enjoying the wear and fatigue of opposition.
Kt, exactly and that is all we want to see, he can’t do that all the time, no-one expects that and i know he can’t score with every shot or deliver the perfect cross every time…
But I just wish he’d get involved more, look interested and have a bit of go in him….
A bit more Va Va Voom 😛
Osi has raised a very good point about nasri’s ability to hold up the ball in very tight spaces.he opened up lots of space for the other players.thats the role i hope diaby can play when he recovers.
we all want our players – our team as a whole – to do better than they currently are, but sometimes we have to step back and really ask if replacing a certain player will do more harm than good in the current situation…i think that is the case with theo…he’s being shoehorned into a position that constantly asks him to something (cross) he is not particularly good at, while not necessarily making best use of his developed attributes…i don’t think he takes matches off – i think he gets frustrated – but is that so terrible? or is it that different from what many of us feel?
theo can certainly do more on the pitch, and he can certainly make better decisions in-game decisions…there is no doubt about that…but he is one of only three players to score for us – remember that without his goals, we would be getting ready to face a europa league side this evening – and i think his output in that regard has been better than anyone else on the team, including our captain…so i am going to cut him some slack here…
Hi JM,
Henry didn’t lose his pace until he left us though, Theo has a few years in young bones yet 😉
cheers k – this is a bit like our discussion with wath during last night’s cl ties…
oliver – i think regardless of what i think and for the reasons you give, wenger won’t drop him – as you say, he’s experienced in this league and every time he puts a shirt on i’ll be supporting him, again as you point out, he and a few others need to step up now and prove their worth, that’s all all of want to see ofver the next few months….
I have to pop off for a while, catch up in an hour or so….
different quality players, rico
JM – I know, hugely 😉
Laters all…
Pato’s goal was strikingly resemblant of Henry’s goal at the Bernabeu except then Henry had alot more to do.what players like Henry have is the ability to develop vivid images in the brain before executing a move.that goal at the Bernabeu Henry received a pass from fab and turned on the afterburners and they say the rest is history.henry rarely dribbled if he knew all he had to do was knock the ball past him and beat him to it.henry was brilliant at spotting gaps and thats when he would use his pace.he had a very sharp football brain and he would use it to very good effect.he would backheel the ball into the net when surrounded by defenders;he was that good.i don’t know if theo will ever reach or even come close to that level only time will tell…
according to arsene, ramsey may be in the squad for ewood park…he’ll return to practice tomorrow…
Vermy back after international break.jacky boy’s progress will be known after 4 weeks.
Afternoon.
I believe that half of Theo’s problems right now are not his own, but rather the lack of quality ball he gets. We’ll need our new midfielders to see his runs and play the right through-balls – when that happens you’ll see a change in opinion.
However, if AOC can take his man one-on-one and beat him (something Theo generally can’t do), then that will really change the picture.
dot com is doing it’s glut of “postive vibes” stories ahead of the trip to blackburn…
Afternoon guys….
I thought Jack Wilshere was back in training, that seems not to be the case….
no, arsene says he is still in a boot…like tv and diaby, it is best not to count on him for the time being…when they are back they are back…
a classic trap supporters fall into – mets 2010 for a personal example – is to focus on who is not playing rather than who we have available…it is what it is, so best not to worry about our absentees until they are ready to play for us again…
we must have hundreds of those boots….
oliver – i fully expect all three to be out until the new year….
Lee 😆
Seems Diaby is the only one to have bought his own though….
Why can’t cesc just shut his piehole and move on?
our vassiriki should think about marketing his own line of those boots…
Rico jack was in the gym trying to keep fitness to ensure that when he returns he’ll be ready to play immediately.
hahahaha, k…i was wondering if someone would react to that…
i haven’t seen the entire interview – not that i really care to – so i am providing an observation without knowing everything that was said…no doubt he is being asked more about arsenal than his current club at the moment, so in that sense, he is probably just answering questions put to him…nevertheless…
i think many of us (including me) would agree that the club has headed more backwards than forwards in the past couple of seasons. and i can certainly understand a player doubting his professional achievment ambitions could be adequately met in the current arsenal set up and atmospher…but, what our former captain fails to acknowledge – or a disingenous media outlet has conspicuously omitted – is that ex-number four was our leader for almost all of this…he may not need to own absolutely all of the failures, but he cannot simply airbrush himself out of what happened the past couple of seasons…like it or not, he was a big part of the collective failure…owning his portion would probably make his comments a bit more palatable to those of us he left behind – and would absolutely be the right thing to do…
perhaps he did own it and that portion is just not being reported…or perhaps not…
Thats why if we were to win a trophy this year it would be so much sweeter.cesc spent majority of last season out injured,nasri disappeared during the squeaky bum time…and they forget they too contributed to our woes.they should take a share of the blame.
Savage, I disagree with you there, I think our players know him inside out, they train with him everyday, he’s been in the 1st team set up for quite a while now, they are well aware of his strengths and weaknesses, i’m sure arteta and yossi will find him most times.
England is where he tends to struggle more, I don’t think the coaching staff always play to his strenghts.
Theo and oxo are a world apart at the moment, you can’t compare the two in my opinion, that may change further on down the line though, we’ll find out soon enough, i’m sure wenger is banking on it afterall he did cost us a pretty penny or two.
What has Cesc been saying Kt?
oliver – there is no point in Diaby doing that, they’d be faulty 😉
Arsenal could move for Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini when the January transfer window opens after David Moyes suggested the player may leave the club.
Moyes is desperate to keep hold of his most talented players, but has today admitted that it may be difficult to hand on to the Belgium international as he is yet to sign a new contract.
Fellaini has entered the final 18 months of his current contract and Everton are aware that they cannot afford to let the £15million signing leave on a free.
Everton lost influential midfielder Steven Pienaar on a free to Spurs and with Mikel Arteta making the move to Arsenal, Moyes is worried that the best players will follow suit and look for an exit from Goodison Park.
“Yes, there is a danger that selling Mikel could set a precedent, but I hope not. I would like to think we can hang onto our best players,” said Moyes.
“But there is always a danger when someone goes after saying they want to leave that it could set a precedent, and we will have to be careful of that.”
The Merseyside club are struggling financially and should an offer come their way in January then they may be forced to cash in on the defensive midfielder.
Arsenal missed out on transfer target Yann M’Vila during the summer and it is assumed the club will be back in the market for a defensive midfielder when the window reopens.
Savage,
re your 3pm comment, it certainly seems that Oxo is confident in being able to take on players and get passed them – also, what i like is the right kind of support he gets from his family, feet firmly on the ground with that lad…
that’ll please WATH!!
Wenger did not use the term ‘mental strength today’ :om ‘mental strength today’ 😮
And me Lee 🙂
I’m surprised at Wengers comments about not ruling out buying Yossi, by next summer he’ll be 32, yet he has let players go at 30 years old who are better than him….
Kt – that’s Jack all over – he won’t like being out injured, i bet he’s a nightmare to be around….
I’ll be amazed if wenger buys anyone in January, just can’t see it myself, if he does I’ll treat you all to a half a pint of lager.
Rico:he left us to win trophies…he won’t rule out a return to our club…the camp nou and the fans are fantastic…he loves our club and follows our results…he is a spineless spaniard…hang on,thats my opinion 😉
this is why i don’t like this flood of comments from dot com…arsene: “That is why it is important that we do not talk too much and play as well as we can.”
this, of course, is followed by a deluge of articles highlighting arsene’s views on all and sundry…
arsene gets a lot of flak for a lot of things, but when he comes out and says we need to tone it down, and dot com simultaneously releases a glut of arsene-fluff on this, that and the other…well…
k, in my opinion our door should be forever closed to him – for many, many reasons…
Micko – deal, i reckon he will – Cahill on the cheap 🙂
I agree oliver.that door is firmly shut.
I see Kt, the old winning trophies comment – well i think all that is all poppycock personally and i don’t know why he says all that – i’d rather he be honest and just tell us that he left to go home to spain, to be near his family and play for the club he support from the day he was born…
He has nothing to be afraid of, most of can understand all those reasons for him leaving, he’s no need to bring the trophy comment into it imho….
Also – re the trophy winning comment…
It takes a bigger player, a bigger person, a stronger sportsman to fight for a trophy, not walk into a side that has been winning everything, that’s all a bit too easy…..
The Frenchman long departed is no better…..
oliver
they should all shut up, from wenger down, unless they have to make the obligatory interview, and even then, just stick to all things Arsenal and nothing else….
As much as we hate ade at least he admitted £$$¥ was a major reason he joined city.
moving on to this season’s arsenal squad, we have a great opportunity to get another three points on saturday and add to the bit of momentum we currently have…three points will take us to seventh, and depending upon other results, could take us all the way up to eighth…not our ultimate goal obviously, but i think the “one step at a time” approach will serve us best right now…
so the last thing we need is for our side to run on to the pitch to santo and johnny’s “sleepwalk” and play accordingly…our momentum would disappear in a flash and, considering blackburn’s situation, the atmosphere could potentially get worse than the old trafford aftermath…
TR7, i think if you look back he moved because he just wanted to feel loved.
Look at Gerrard rico.he has played with lots of crap players but he’ll never complain.he carries them if he has to since he is captain.he rarely lets his head drop just like the night in istanbul showed.thats a captain that even i respect.
Yes Kt, but now he’s at them down the road, I’d rather Cesc any day of the week, we can’t forget how many seasons he gave us but – It was good for him and for OUR club that he moved on….
Micko Ade wasn’t very intelligent and that led to his downfall.saying Milan were like Beyonce and that he usually speaks to Galliani’s wife isn’t going to help your relationship with the fans.to make it worse he made those remarks when our season was falling apart.
spuddies are playing in greece tonight, against paok at the toumba…
who of us remembers arsene’s first full season in charge, where we were drawn against paok in the uefa cup…we lost 1-0 in the toumba and drew 1-1 at highbury to end our european adventure almost before it started…when the second leg ended, i remember thinking, wow, i wonder when we will get another chance to play in the uefa or cup winners up…little did i realize we would win the double that very season and start and start a string of fourteen consecutive seasons (and counting) in the cl…
for me personally, reminding myself of what i thought at the time and how things actually turned out are useful for my own perspective…
I will never forget what cesc has done for us rico.that night in milan,cameo against villa and equalising for us against barca on a broken leg…are just few fond memories of him i’ll always have but as you say it was the right time to let him go.
spot on oliver – as you said the other day, baby steps and let’s build up our confidence, all is not well at BB if we are to believe what we read and the pressure is on them.
perhaps for the first time, more than it is on us…..
ricco, i think arsene has had a rough ride during the past several months…but what must it like to be in steve kean’s shoes? it’s impossible not to feel a bit badly for the guy…
in my 4:57, i meant to say “three points will take us to seven points collected”
Oliver thats why we all love football since its such an unpredictable sport.thats why i wouldn’t rule us out of winning a trophy this year.B’ham won a trophy last year but got relegated,liverpool won the CL in 2005 despite having an average squad,we reached the CL semis in 08 despite us struggling throughout that season…long live footy 😉
i think wenger has had a rough time for a few years but, most of it he has broght upon himself imho – he spends too much time making comments about what is going on at other clubs and with other managers…
Wenger is very very intelligent, i just can’t believe he has allowed himself to be a victim to the idiots who interview him….
ricco, i think he brings much of it on himself – but not all of it…i don’t think all is justified and some is over the top…and he is not the only manager who has plenty to say about other players/managers/teams – he just is not as juiced-in as certain other managers are, so he gets call on the exact things a certain journeyman manager down the road gets a pass on…
you said it yourself, i think he is sometimes too smart for his own good…i am very confident that he is fully aware of the game certain media outlets play…but i don’t think he cares that much – i.e. he has an opinion on everything, and will express it if asked, while not worrying so much about how it is spun…when the pressure is apparent – or internal – that is when he takes exception to reporting slants…otherwise, i think he is mostly happy to let it pass…
Hi Rico and Guys, 🙂
I wanted to just pop in to say the afternoon chat has been really interesting, with different viewpoints expressed but everyone respecting their fellow HH’ers.
Also Oliver, thank you very much for the update you left for me re the Giants etc, it gave me a personal take on the injury rumours etc. Thank you very much for that. 🙂
I have just got back from a high tea at the Grove, not Ashburton, but the footballers delight just outside Watford.
Feel really ill now with all the goodies I stuffed, so can’t stay and chat, but I did see a couple of up and coming footie stars with the compulsory WAGS, so will tell you about that tomorrow.
See you then! 🙂
P.S. Where Wath? 🙂
He is a flawed Genius rico 😉
k, i hope you’re right…even the league cup would be a good start for me…it would help erase the nightmare from february and would hopefully show our players that, yes, they can finish…
job one, however, is to consolidate and start climbing the league table…
Hi and bye RA 🙂
hi ra…quick giants update: they signed free-agent wr brandon stokely this morning…some are seeing this as meaning hakeem nicks will not be able to go on monday night…i disagree…i think nicks will suit up – they absolutely need him…if anything, i think stokely will address the lack of a slot receiver, follwing steve smith’s bad injury last season and subsequent defection to philadelphia…
stokely is 35 yo and his best days are certainly behind him…he has plenty of experience and won super bowls with baltimore (he beat sehorn for the long td in the first half) and indy…
if if nicks can go, they will have him, manningham, hixon, crus and stokely on monday night…perhaps better than it looked coming into the season…
they need to run the ball…tied -14 all at the hald against the skins they completely abandoned it in the second half…jacobs and bradshaw are healthy there is no reason not to run…that will take some pressure off eli as well..
Baby steps is good enough for now.lets see where we are in jan..lets see where we are in jan.
oliver – i think we pretty much agree on the media stuff – i recall how silly rafa came accross when he wouldn’t answer questions but in some ways he was right not to do so – it always goes back to those who ask the questions – they are the ones playing the games…
i just wish our boss wouldn’t fall for it, not when we are going through a difficult patch, it’s not far on the fans…
and, amidst all the angst coming out of flushing, the mets have confirmed they are shutting johan down for the season. he never did make it back to the major league team, but considering they are just playing out the string, there is no valid reason to have him make an appearance. just let him continue his rehab, and get ready to be our opening day starter next season…
If you think our sitiuation is bad consider how inter fans must be feeling.2 years ago they won the treble,now they have lost 3 straight games in a row.yesterday they lost to Tranzbonspor who didn’t even qualify for the CL,they are only there due to Fenerbahce’s disqualification.to make matters worse they were at home 😮
Hi RA – we all respect eachother here, that’s just the way it is and the way it should be 🙂
Wath is around, busy at work no doubt but he’s always around I am sure …. See you soon RA, be good…
Kt, i like that….
Dinner calls, back in a bit….
ra, not to make this a big blue blog (sorry ricco), but they are reporting tuck participated in a full – with pads – practice this afternoon, so that is encouraging…nicks did not practice, but told reports that his knee swelling is subsiding and he remains confident of playing monday night…he did work on the sidelines (bike) during today’s practice…
Am sober now guys…..so what’s new? Heard fab’s been running his mouth,huh? Oh well we ll shut him pretty soon and every other detractor too. The media just love throwing our story around and never good ones just bad. What can we do about this guys? Can’t we write them or something or maybe sue them! Ideas anyone?
oliver – you don’t ever have to worry about posting about the blues – unless of course you mean chelsea 😉 you feel free….
HH may be an Arsenal blog, but it’s also a place we can all talk about what we like along the way….
You wait til the next Ashes series 😉
goonster – i think Cesc loved us and still does but he needed to go home – i don’t begrudge him anything….
No way Rico none of that damned cricket shit on here….*winks*
sorry goonster, you will have to suffer my dear 😛
Good post Rico,
I must admit, Theo has had enough playtime, and he does not do near enough work, i would have benched him long ago. All i keep hearing is he is not a winger, he has played on the wing since he appeared and plays the same position for his country, in all this time if he cannot do a job for us there by now, how long will he need to play as centre forward before we realise he can’t play there either. Lets see the Ox and Park while Theo reflects on the bench, Maybe time for another book
ricco, the day justin tuck starts playing for chelsea is the day i give it all up…
i think you and wath will rope me in on the ashes…that’s ok – if ra resumes coming on regularly – he and i will be chatting big blue and world series here…
goonster, i don’t think he was necessarily running his mouth…i think – in the course of a normal interview – he was asked questions that were slanted towards arsenal and why he left. what i read gives the impression that arsenal were holding him back here, and he had to leave to fulfill his ambitions. perhaps there was more to it that is not being widely reported, but that is the gist…
my point is that he was a part of the recent underachivment, so he cannot absolve himself of responsibility…what i would hope our ex-number four would do is make his point and then own his part in all of it…nothing i have read suggests he has done so – perhaps he did, but that part of the story is not being told…
blackburn on saturday – we have more urgent concerns than one of many former players…he has his lot now, we have ours – they are no longer one and the same…
Hi steve….nah Rico guess I ll catch up on formula 1 with kev Dk mog or lee. I ll be cool, am the GOONSTER remember!
The worst thing about theo at the moment is that he’s gotten big-headed with the attitude of a ‘superstar’. Honestly, he’s just like a blinkered -eye racehorse that just has speed BUT WHEN HE RUNS INTO OPPONENTS, MOST TIMES HE HAS NO BRAINS TO KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT…you know this especially when you see him lose the ball for nothing!
Let AOC play; he certainly can do more than theo does, BESIDES HE HAS A GOOD ATTITUDE OF A LEARNER, unlike theo.
Yes walcott has being poor recently but Oxalade is not ready yet .
i think wenger should deploy benayoun on the right
Thanks for clearing that up oliver…so what’s this about him coming back? Boy what I ll give to have cesc back playing alongside a grown up wilshere,frimpong and miyaichi. Now that’s what am talking about.
goonster, what our former captain alluded to is apparently there is a clause in the deal that if barca decide to sell him, arsenal have first refusal…and (according to our former player) this particuluar clause was inserted at arsene’s insistence and was one of the (probably many) sticking points that dragged negotiations out…
i don’t think it will mean much…he’s back home where he wants to be…if it turns sour, that’s life – i don’t want us to be his lifeline, anymore than i want sulzeer coming back to get himself fit, put himself in the shop window, and sign with someone else…
Hi SteveP, thanks re the post – i know a lot has been rightly said about Oxo and his lack of experience but it dwaned on me, Yossi could also be in for a chance to stake his place…
oliver – ashes and the blues, that sounds pretty good to me, hopefully RA will come back and talk about the blues, i would but sadly i know nothing about them or their game 🙁
Spooky SD, just read your comment about Yossi ….
ricco, new york football giants…big blue…they play this coming monday evening against a midwestern-based football team owned by a certain mr s. kroenke…
I hear you oliver but he’s a gooner first and last. Is that not what we ve been crying out for. Real gooners wearing the red a d white with pride. He only left cause we could t offer him what he wanted. I ll gladly take him back. You can’t question his loyalty unlike the money grabbing poxy faced bastard that is nasri. Come home cesc your club needs you!
Hi Mr ‘Peter’ Marinello – a blast from the 70’s great player, hated England and loved the booze a bit too much 😉
Have to say, I’d welcome Cesc back…… But right now he is at Barca, he’ll stay there too so best we forget him….
blackburn are more important right now and the players who want to play for arsenal 😉
I find it amusing how the biased the media are.when we drew at Dortmund with 4 new players in the team its because we are shit.when the mancs draw with Benfica its because it was their 2nd team…but wait,in that 11 only linergaard/smalling/evans/fletcher did not start in the CL final in May.City according to the media were all nerves as they were CL debutants,but wait,in their entire 11 only hart/zabaleta/kolarov/barry/lescott that have not played in the CL.Mancini was inter coach so he is no CL virgin either.it just appears that anything we do at the moment is going to get scrutinized by the media either way.F**K ’em all. at Dortmund with 4 new players in the team its because we are shit.when the mancs draw with Benfica its because it was their 2nd team…but wait,in that 11 only linergaard/smalling/evans/fletcher did not start in the CL final in May.City according to the media were all nerves as they were CL debutants,but wait,in their entire 11 only hart/zabaleta/kolarov/barry/lescott that have not played in the CL.Mancini was inter coach so he is no CL virgin either.it just appears that anything we do at the moment is going to get scrutinized by the media either way.F**K ’em all.
I can’t see why Oxo is not ready yet, He’s playing well his confidence is as high as a kite and if he’s good enough he should be at least tried, or will he end up like Lansbury, doing the business for some one else.
You said KT….fuck em all. Wish I could get hold of hansen savage or shearer men it will take a team of pro football dudes to get me off them. I ll gorge their eyes out before they get me. Lousy stinking biased mugs. Men am angry.*hyperventilating*
Kt, your last three words of that comment – spot on….
I really don;t know why the media wind fans up anymore, they are a bunch of biased idiots who thrive on reporting doom about us…
I read, I laugh and I don’t get wound up, haven’t done for ages…..
goonster, i don’t think he is a gooner first and last…he was a cule as a kid, an academy product of theirs growing up, a cule when he wore our colours and now he is back home. in my book, he most certainly is not a gooner first and foremost…
i’ll never question his loyalty – to fc barca…to arsenal fc? that is entirely a separate matter. not much sense in telling him to come home – he is home right now, where he wanted to be since at least just prior to the world cup, if not longer…and this by his own admission (his official statement prior to the start of last season)…
k, “arsenal about to drop out of the top four” sells much better than “city ain’t all that”…
where’s kev? I need my daily”chill out stan”. I hate it when the media picks on us for no good reason. Where is the fair representation in that? Professionalism my ass! Somebody needs to kick that turd robbie savage out of the BBC. He’s stinking the whole place up!
It reminds me when we trounced the spuds at the Shite hart lane.the following morning the media made it like we conned ‘arry by not playing our U18 team.they also said it was a sign of desperation while in previous campaigns we got criticized for devaluating the tournament.
Oliver you said it……he left barca a kid…..we made a MAN! Why do think he was torn between two options. Fab is and ll always be a gooner. End of. Like I said previously……I ll gladly take him back!
KT don’t bother with those mugs anymore. Wenger said it today. All we need to do is lay low and let our results speak for us. I hope we win a trophy this year to finally get them off our backs.
i understand that is how you see it goonster, and i have no problem with that…but i see it completely differently…we took a kid and made a man, absolutely…and it is absolutely true that we did not surround him with enough quality as he grew in stature…but i do not believe for a minute that he was “torn” between staying and going…
in the i/v he says – pretty unequivocally – that he lost confidence in our ability to challenge at the top level…to me, a true gooner would stay and fight…someone who bleeds red and white – and represents our great club as captain – would not jump ship for another club…unless, of course, that other club was far more important to him than arsenal, which i am confident it was – and remains so…
Steve – my arguement in favor of Oxo is he has learned his trade in a tough tackling, hard league… I think he’s ready physically, mentally only time will tell but i wouldn’t bet against him…..
Henry left Oliver….he’s arsenal through and through. And yes he was torn between his loyalty for our club and love for barca! Cesc even put in a good word to arteta to join us. I even heard from a reliable source that towards the end of his reign as arsenalk captain he was trying to get thiago alcantara to join us. If that’s not a gooner through and through then I don’t know what one is!
goonster – Cesc will always hold Arsenal dear in his heart, we gave him the chance that Barca wouldn’t at the same age, but don’t be fooled that Arsenal are his first and only love – that is where he is now…..
Henry is different, he left as he knew he needed to, and not only for football but a major part of his leaving us was down was his break up from his wife…
sorry gs, i believe very little of the above…
the fact is, our ex-number four is more barca than he will ever be arsenal…if you don’t believe that, just ask him…
we all have reliable sources that pass this and that on to us…doesn’t make any of it true…
you choose to believe the player is arsenal through and through…i choose to believe that he is far, far short of that…and i interpret his actions – during last summer, last season, and this summer – as confirmation that arsenal means far less to him than barcelona…
Steve, Lansbury will be back, and back to stay i hope…..
ricco, not only that but we were in the process of streamlining everything with the stadium move…it was time to clear the experience (and highest wages) off the books and face the projected lean years…the talisman that is thierry henry stayed for the first year as the face of our team, to symbolically open the new stadium as our captain…but that was always going to be it…if we were going young, we needed him to step aside, and that is what we did…
Oliver he’s been playing with dross for years now what else do you expect from him. He looks over at barca and sees his fellow la masia graduates doing well while he’s stuck with almunia shitvestre and the rest. During his show he was asked by one the audience whom he would love to see in arsenal and he replied “david villa”. Cesc would have stayed had we bought quality players to play alongside him.
Evening Gooners.
Great post Rico. Really generated some interesting chat on hear.
agree re cesc oliver, he is now where he always wanted to be in the end….
that also may have had something to do with him leaving but he would have stayed but for his marriage breakup…. i am sure on that one 😉
he was the player that everyone wanted to join arsenal and play alongside…..
…….and arteta did confirm cesc spoke to him about joining us.
Hi kev, good to see you, you all done up in the city 😉
Thanks re the post, it’s been a good day, Theo always makes a good subject for debate, a bit like arshavin 😉
KT, re; Press/Media, music to ears [eyes]. Hate the lot of them. Fuck em all indeed……..
KKKK
Hi kev….you seem to go missing all day only to appear at night. What are you involved in? Come on buddy you can tell me.
i wouldn’t call all his team-mates dross, goonster…that is a pretty harsh label for the likes of robin, szczesny, song, tv…
where we agree is that we do not have enough quality at all positions…that i am not debating…
what i am debating – and i stick to my point – is that is the former number four is truly arsenal through and through, he would have stuck it out and tried harder to make the team around him better and lead us to silverware…he had a poor, injury-hit season last year, and was nowhere to be seen as the fixtures wound down and conspicuously stayed away during the summer…
if the player was arsenal through and through, then surely arsene’s heart-felt plea – quote “i love him and i want him to stay” – should have been enough for him to commit at least for 12 more months…
look, i think the guy does has genuine feelings for the club and i think he is appreciate of all arsene and the club have done from him…for me, however, that is not the same as being a gooner through and through…in my eyes, he is not and will never be…
that is my position…i respect the fact that you see this differently.
Yeah Rico. Home for a few days.
How’s Mum? All finished now nurse???
Meanwhile, Braga teach The Arsenal how win Birmighan City…
Nice watch “arsenal shirt” win at St. Andrews
and a few more oliver – sagna, clichy (then) AA, Gilberto, Eduardo…… but yes, we could have one or two players in the class of Bobby an Freddie to co,pliment his game and had we bought that quality…
Cesc would have still wanted to go home…..
hiya kev…
hoorah kev, glad to hear that, and yep, the nurse duties are on hold for a bit, thanks me dear, mum has company for a couple of weeks… its all a bit strange for her walking again 😉
Stan. I work for the CIA. Oliver is my boss
sigh…game is up – kev has just told the world that i am actually general petraeus…
Poor old Brum then JM 😉
i don’t think anyone would have guessed on their own…thanks a lot, kev!
My day here is done, it’s been a long one, i’m heading off for a peanut butter and marmite sandwich, a cup of tea then up the wooden ones….
Have a good afternoon/evening/night all…
Catch you tomorrow…..
Nighty…
oliver, if that is true, make sure you drink plenty of water, don’t want you passing out again 😉
nighty….
0-2 for “Arsenal” ! 😉
I didn’t know it is Hugton Birmighan manager
with that, i am due to testify on capitol hill in the next 90 minutes…see you all tomorrow.
Howya doing Oliver.
What happened with all those security alerts on the 9th.?
There were a lot of car-bomb rumours. We were all holding our breath over this side.
hi kev, you know how it is with intelligence…some pans out, some doesn’t…as the president told the nation last week, we had specific, credible information regarding a potential threat.
anyways, congress gave me a hard enough time when i commanded forces in iraq and afghanistan…i don’t need to give them any more reasons to pile on…
Bloody android phone. Crap signal. Took me ages to get back to ya. Sorry guys. Gotta get my PC out tomorrow. Goodnight Rico. Take care Oliver. Suppose everyone has gone now?
Well that’s me for now. Oliver remember buddy, shaken not stirred ok… See you Gooners tomorrow… Now to take a hammer to this bloody phone. Lata
Cesc is gone and we should move on and Cesc should move on as well and i dont get why people are calling him an Arsenal legend.
He is not an arsenal Legend and he has a long way to go before becoming a Barca legend as well.
Henry ,T Adams,Berkham,Viera are Legends of the Arsenal.
Move on please.By the way he is not going to come back.
I do NOT support the premise of this article. The last thing in the world we want to do is to exchange Theo, who though only 22 has gained valuable premiere league experience and appears to be coming into his own… for a promising but inexperienced 18 year old. And I for one am glad to see Theo show more grit, even if that does mean arguing with the Ref from time to time. A harder, more edgy Theo is a good thing.
New Post Up
Doc, it’s ok to disagree 🙂