Daily Bits and Bobs

Time to sell Jack Wilshere? Le Coq up for the Derby & Why Arsene needs to keep on smiling….

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

Is there anything on our footballing mind other than Saturday’s lunchtime fixture? Of course not!

It’s often said that this fixture shouldn’t need a managers motivational pre-match talk and in years gone by and back in the day when we had the likes of Tony Adams leading the side out, every player knew what days like Saturday mean to the fans. He made sure of that.

But don’t be fooled, it’s not only the ‘Arsenal boys’ who understand what an NLD is all about, not these days which is a good job as we don’t have too many of those any more……

Francis Coquelin has been at Arsenal for what feels like donkeys years but it’s only six. He’s barely played much in the actual Arsenal strip, let alone in a derby but he’s learned what they mean to the club, players and us fans.

The 23 year old, yes, it’s hard to believe he’s still young, who is fast becoming a fans favourite, has said:

It’s a massive game for the club and the fans, I think everyone is looking forward to it. The Manchester City match was a big one, and this one has got a special something about it.

It’s going to be a tough game – we’re playing away over there, so it’s going to be hard. I think with the month we’ve just had, the confidence is going to be high.

Even at youth level, we got a lot of stick from their fans and the atmosphere was really good. It just makes you want to do even better for your team and win the game.

When you play for Arsenal against Tottenham, it’s not about just playing your game, it’s about winning. You have to win it.

For the fans and the team it’s a big game and it’s one we want to win.

Isn’t he right, we just have to win!

Arsene Wenger once said:

 The face of the coach is the mirror image of the health of his players.

Arsene has had a lot to smile about of late and rightly so and our performances have improved and results reflect that but I’m not sure he will be when he see’s Jacks ugly mug in the newspapers again, and for all the wrong reasons…….!!

What a plank....
What a plank….

One day, enough will be enough for Arsenal FC as each time he’s in the newspapers for things like this, it reflects badly on the club. We didn’t see Debuchy, Walcott, Ozil or even Giroud in the newspapers during their long time out injured, well, not for negative reasons but it seems Wilshere is made of different stuff to them. Whilst everyone else is doing their best to step up the game, he’s out partying and doing other stuff..

If he’s not careful, he’ll soon be a gonner, not a gooner and who could blame Arsene Wenger for ditching him.

I wouldn’t…..

On that bright note, enjoy your Thursday….

rico

112 thoughts on “Time to sell Jack Wilshere? Le Coq up for the Derby & Why Arsene needs to keep on smiling….”

  1. rogerbij says:

    Good one Rico, thanks for the morning chat. Im not sure what to make of Wilshere these days… good player but injuries and lacking something… Im not sure if he is a victim of the social media age, or just naive. I mean these are small things, but he needs to keep his head down and stay out of trouble or it will be death by a thousand paper cuts. Wenger doesnt like distractions like this, and steers clear of signing such players in the first place. Wilshere sympathy is wearing out, or am I wrong?

  3. rico says:

    Thanks Roger, I just think he hasn’t grown up which considering he has two kids, is strange. He should be at home with his family, not living it up in nightclubs.

    I’m getting quite fed up with him….

  5. Foresight says:

    Agreed! Wilshire is no longer the star of the show-if he ever was.We now have better, more committed men in his role so why put up with it ?I doubt he wil make the England squad now. His behaviour & attitude are unprofessional & unacceptable at a club of our standing.

  9. babakrdaemi says:

    On the one hand we want Arsenal players, because there isn’t enough any-more, and on the other we want to get ride of one of the few we have for being out at night and using a Sisha pipe?

    Its really the most non-story I have ever seen.

    So what, he is 23 years old. He went out with friends and shared a Sisha pipe.

    Jack is an Arsenal player from 8 years old. I would be devastated to lose him for something so stupid.

    If he isn’t cutting it on the pitch, which we could argue he isn’t, fine. But because of these pathetic journalist driven shit, I think its ridiculous.

  10. rico says:

    babakrdaemi – it’s Jack who is driving this ‘shit’ as you put it, this is just one on a list of stupid things he gets up to……

  11. babakrdaemi says:

    I know its stupid what he does, but fucking hell, John Terry is an England captain and has been in all sorts of trouble. Rooney an England legend, the same.

    Being caught with a sisha pipe while out with some mates being spun into a news story is absolutely ridiculous.

    The lad has to let off steam, he has to see his friends, and if he is meeting them in a club with Sisha pipes and passing it around – its a hell of a lot better than falling out the club at 2am with his pants down – Nick the dick Bendtner for example.

    I do understand the reason for concern, but its typical of the current media coverage. This story is only about selling adverts, its not about a young lad pissing away his career. However, to sell adverts they have to say its about a young lad pissing his career away.

    Selling him because of the ‘incidents’ outside the game would be a mistake in my opinion.

    As it stands we have a very capable, highly regarded young, Arsenal academy player on our bench.

    Maybe Jack could do with a year abroad. Italy for example, get away from the media, the spotlight that will eventually be shined on him when he can’t make the first 11, and let him come back the year after ready push his way into the side.

    Come On The Gunners

  12. potter says:

    The end product of a slavering media always looking for the next superstar to hang their hat on. Unfortunately Wilshere plays for us and not only has to realise that he will always be a target on two fronts. The first being England’s natural successor to Stevie G , the bigging up of his profile from a desperate group of hacks that no longer publish news but look for celebrity scandal to sell their papers .Secondly because he plays for the club that the self same group of parasites consistently deride and find an easy target with our staid Old Etonian board and a manager that they have managed to turn into a cartoon character in the daily Arsenal soap opera . For reasons that I have never been able to fathom we are disliked as a club and an open target for all and sundry to poke fun and bile at.
    The players and Jack in particular have to be made to realise that there are people that will do whatever to dig up a story and he seems unable to stop just walking into them. His use to our team is reducing daily .we have players equally capable of playing his position , probably better. He really needs what we used to call a “” Dutch uncling”” .someone to sit him down and tell him the facts of life. He needs to look around and ask where he can go to improve his status , he then needs to ask himself whether he would get into those teams , currently I don’t think he would . He has a value of about £25 million according to transfer market . com. . Ask yourself , How much would Schniederlin cost , or Bender twins.
    Food for thought Jackie boy .

  13. rico says:

    Potter, i’d have thought someone at the club would have tried to get that message across to Jack but seems it falls on deaf ears.

    After all it was just a few months ago he was captured by a pool smoking…

  16. Canadian Gooner says:

    Good Morning to the Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.

    Whether it is Scott’s “We will never see the best of Jack.” or Roger’s “Or maybe we already have Scott?”

  18. Canadian Gooner says:

    Part II – Jack has to realize that he is wasting his talent. He is beginning to remind me of Paul Gascoine, but at least Paul showed what he was capable of before going off the rails.

    Babak has a point about the media, but Jack should know that he will be a prime target for their muck raking.

    Time to grow up Jack, you’re not a child any longer.

  20. tsgh says:

    Very good read Rico…

    Ditto your views above Potter.
    Imo, Rico your 11:15 is a very valid question. A question that has gotten me in trouble before in Dec 2012 after the Bradford game;
    Back then the pundits said JW was the only one trying to help the cause by attempting to take on people, when Gervino was not fit to be called a pro footballer… 🙂

    In my view, JW’s game has always been to run in cul de sacs.. feint an injury and score an odd goal or 2 every 10 or so games…

    A very skillful player nonetheless …

  24. Canadian Gooner says:

    Hopefully Jack has an epiphany before he becomes a Has Been or worse yet Nearly Was/Never Was. I wish him good luck.

  29. joe says:

    I have said this before not sure it should be that big deal when Jack gets caught smoking.
    what’s started to get to me is the fact that Jack keeps making the same mistake which is allowing the media to have a go at him and the pressure it puts on the club to deal with him.

  33. Wavy says:

    I’ve just ‘lost’ two comments about Jack, both in his defence. They are now consigned to cyber space. Perhaps Jack should take himself into the ether then no one would ever catch him misbehaving!

  34. Rick says:

    Afternoon Rico and the House.
    Good post Rico, like most i am thinking JW is close to doing a David Bentley and throw his career away. I vote we send Potter round to give him some
    “Dutch uncling” and sort him out.

    I gather that Arsene is putting his foot down and telling Alexis you are not 100% and you are not in the squad.
    The good news is that Serge aaabelick and Chuba are all playing against
    Newcastle on monday night. We need to win there big time.

  36. tsgh says:

    It didn’t take Alexis long to catch the Arsenal injury ‘hoodoo’…

    This will give Theo and Akpom more opportunities upfront I guess…

    Alexis like Fibreglass does not seem to perform as well post January until around April/May when he comes back to form…

  37. Adam says:

    There’s a lot more to that pic than the Shisha in his hand. The whole arrogance thing with a whiff of the Gangsta shows a complete lack of humility. He gives it large but can he back it up on the field?
    Now pass me that Hookah!

  39. Marinello says:

    Dood read Rico.
    Good points made by Potter.
    How many players have promised so much in the past but never reached their full potential.
    Jack is a skilful lad, but his style of play in hanging onto the ball till the last minute before releasing it, encourages defenders to make last ditch tackles where normally Jack picks up an injury. Add to the fact that he spends a lot of time falling over, or giving away silly free kicks in dangerous areas, starts putting him into the category of a “Luxury player.” One who comes on when a team are 3-0 up, and he entertains the crowd for a bit.
    Such a shame if he doesn’t attain the heights that he has threatened to do in the past.

  48. allezkev says:

    Ah, cheers Adam, I asked you to keep quiet about the shisha pipe episode.

    Just as I promised not to mention your penchant for wearing ladies, er, I’ll leave it there…. 😉

  50. rogerbij says:

    Wow potter, if Wilshere is worth 25m I would definitely sell him to fund Schniederlin if it came down to that. I think the plan would be long run to keep him though as Rosiscky wont be around forever. Anyway, lots of great players for 25m, so like you say food for thought. Fab was 30m-ish I think?

  52. Wavy says:

    Rick, Sarasota!!

    Rico, cyber space, the comment has been virtually cremated!

    Kev, Stamford Bridge, Yorkshire was a Battle Field.(as you know). The fight was between the Goodies and the Dwarves!! (Can I say that?) Not very PC, these days?

  55. tsgh says:

    Rico-Its a name of a player, Kev said once.. 😛

    Rico- if your question at 2:18 is re. Alexis’s performance post January, you asked me that same question in the summer before we bought him and I answered you with some gibberish data as you would expect… 🙂

    cheers Bt.

  57. allezkev says:

    That’s the one Ginge, Yaya Sarasota, from Cote de Bournmouth…
    He slipped thru the net, very much like Jehad Muntassar, remember him??? 😉

  60. tsgh says:

    Rico- I was being sarcastic actually for Micko’s entertainment if he was lurking; apart from last season where Alexis scored 9 out of 23 goals last season after January, he has always scored more goals from March onwards than he does from August to December…

  64. Rick says:

    Our youth team have flown toQatar to play in the AI Kass International CupThe team made up of first year scholars and schoolboys played thier first game yesterday winning 3-2 with Mavididi scoring a hat-trick. Next game on sunday. R Madrid AC MIlan and PSG also playing. in the cup.
    The first win in 11 games

  65. allezkev says:

    Rick, I think that the Yoot were playing a local side, weren’t they…
    I’m not getting too excited about a 3-2…

    You never know of course, but it doesn’t bode well for any of that group of Kjds coming through to the 1st team squad…

  66. Rick says:

    Kev not at all excited about the result comment very toungue in cheek.
    From what I have seen last years intake is very poor with just a few
    any where near the required standard. I may be wrong

  74. potter says:

    Hi Scott , The Wilshere story rumbling on over here , strange how it happened just before the derby . Personally I don’t care if he smokes himself into a kipper as long as he does it after his Arsenal time is up. It’s no so much the one or two incidents in his lifestyle, it’s that he hasn’t the control to be discreet about it . Following on from the Pole in goal , Wenger’s fatherly approach is coming under scrutiny again . Just what the club ? team doesn’t need .

  75. scottfromoz says:

    Hi Potter,
    If Jack was doing the business on the pitch, I couldn’t care what he does off it, but as it stands, it’s an issue.
    No doubt the media are all over everything they can find as the club seems to be travelling well.
    Still, Jack should be working hard to find his best form when he’s back and put the partying to one side.

  76. HenryB says:

    I am not particularly fussed one way or the other about Jack’s private life, altho I would prefer it if he kept it private.

    The real game changer for Jack will be if he upsets Mr Wenger, because with all the midfielders we have it will not be easy for him to get back into the team anyway, and bugging the boss won’t help him.

  77. HenryB says:

    What all players must realize by now is that with all the smartphones at every club, pub etc, there is always someone who will take a pic, and whizz it to the papers for a few quid.

    Jack either does not care or is a bit thick — I suspect it falls into the does not care category. Pity.

  79. allezkev says:

    Morning All
    Morning Rico.

    You know what Rico, I really couldn’t give a toss about what Jack does on his time off.

    To me it’s just a load of fluff that satisfies a Press that has no transfer garbage to fill its pages.

    All that matters to me is taking 3 pts from the Slum, that is ‘the’ only priority this week.

    Wtf is Lee?

  80. rico says:

    Morning Kev.

    3 points tomorrow is all I care about too really but as Potter says, bad timing by Jack. He can smoke himself to death for all I care, just do it at home and not where someone is likely to capture him on film and feed the press. It does Arsenal little good at all.

  81. allezkev says:

    You know what Rico, I don’t suppose that those pictures have had any effect on Wenger and the teams preparations, if anything it’s been a diversion…

    The team will still go and ‘do a job’ on the Scummers.
    Thats all I care about.

  84. frednerk says:

    Morning All,
    Is it that bad being a Jack the Lad,
    Our own Charlie George liked to give it the big-en,
    He was so bad we made him an Ambassador for the club.
    Trouble is with Jack is that he has always been a loyal boy,
    he has the same mates,he wants to be one of them and enjoy
    what young lads like to do.
    I know he has two kids and earns a lot,
    But I a would rather see puffing a towrag,
    than an puffing on an old granny.
    Rooney ain’t done to bad ..has he

  85. allezkev says:

    Jack was out with friends, enjoying some leasure time. It isn’t a crime and he wasn’t drunk.

    His friends just need to be a little more aware of what ‘they’ put up on social media.

    What makes me laugh, is the sanctimonious Press.
    Now there’s an industry riddled with alcoholics and druggies, and those cnuts are trying to pass judgement?!

    Well they can fcuk off, imo…

  88. HenryB says:

    What is a lot more worrying is that Alexis is out thru’ a hamstring injury.

    His game is so physical and all action that a hammy is one that will recur unless he gets plenty of time for the tear to heal.

    Still it will give Welly and Akpom a chance to strut their stuff. Hope so anyway.

  91. allezkev says:

    A hamstring is three weeks…

    If Sanchez misses the Leicester game, so what, he needed a break…

    We have more than enough to cope with the Scum…

  92. allezkev says:

    Wenger has copped a lot of criticism, from the ‘usual suspects’, concerning Sanchez.

    Fabregas has a hamstring.
    Had he been rested beforehand?
    No…

    Notice the difference???

    Wenger gets stick.
    Mourinho gets fcuk all.

  98. frednerk says:

    Everyone can see how good Sanchez now,
    the last 4/5 games he has took some heavy tackles.
    Wenger wants to protect him,
    But this guy..No Comprendo

  100. frednerk says:

    Don’t just love this geezer(Sanchez)
    He has to rub off on some of our players..surely

    Joe,Is that a bitof inside or grapevine on Akpom.
    Wengers press conference not up yet.

  107. frednerk says:

    Taking to a few yiddos this week,all are just hoping for a draw,
    I like to wind them a bit,like you do,
    We have Welbeck back,we have Theo back,we have Ozil back,we have the Coq,we have cover at the back,with have the little spainard pulling the strings.
    I hope Sanchez at leasts makes the bench,
    just to scare that lot down the road a little bit more.

  108. Joe says:

    I wonder how many happy spuds fans are now crapping them selves with the thought that Sanchez might be in the squad for Saturday. 🙂

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