After reading we had agreed a deal in principle for Cost Rican Joel Campbell yesterday it seems another Premier League club has nipped in and offered a bit more for him and the parents of the player are now having a re-think. It’s reported that a meeting was taking place yesterday evening and a decision will soon be made so watch this space.
Every paper is running with yet another update on the future of Cesc Fabregas, one suggests he is to plead with Arsene to let him go home, while others report that we are going to tell Barca they have two weeks to find £40 Million otherwise the door is closed and he stays at Arsenal.
I really hope the two-week story is true, I think everyone needs this one to be sorted out and by giving Barcelona a deadline will help everyone concerned, well, maybe not the player if his beloved hometown football club can’t raise the pennies.
Thomas Vermaelen has been talking about last season and how his preference is to stay central rather than fill in at left back since the departure of Clichy. He also wants a bit of competition back there to help bring out the best in him.
Last season was terrible for me, we had two weeks when we didn’t know what it was exactly but, after that, we had the right thing and we knew what it was.
If you know there’s somebody behind you and chasing you then the best comes out in you, It was so close last season. I believe in this team in how we play. We can win things with the way we play.
It’s hard to believe Vermaelen was out for so long, how did we cope??
Two other players are up for a bit of a fight to be top dog and that’s our two poles.
As we know, Fabianski started last season as our Number one but a nasty injury opened the door for Szczesny, a door he intends to not let close.
Lukasz has been training, working hard and has looked quite sharp as well, I’m sure it will be very good competition for me. Lukasz is my very good friend, we’ve been mates for a very long time but when it comes to football I don’t feel sorry for him.
If I can be number one with him being left on the bench then I won’t be sorry about that. I used to room with him at Legia Warsaw. But then he was first choice and I was third choice for Legia Warsaw and I hope we can be the other way around.
I feel I have a big chance to be the Arsenal number one and I’m going to do my best to convince the boss that I’m worthy of wearing the number one shirt.
I hope Fabianski has the same fight in him too, a battle for pole position between the posts can only be good for the team.
That’s it for today on a slow news day, have a good one and don’t forget:
Dispatches – How To Buy a Football Club is on Channel 4 at 8pm tonight, it sounds pretty interesting, there is a bit of a preview in the Daily Telegraph today if you are interested.
Merlin96 says:
July 18, 2011 at 7:32 am (Edit)
David Dein was to prove the lynchpin upon whom Wenger would rely when he arrived at Highbury. ‘He is the best manager in Europe, as well as the most reliable,’ said Dein. ‘He transformed our club from top to bottom, even with training techniques and diet, which allowed our player to play longer. He made average players good, good players very good, and very good players great. Arsene Wenger also has his authenticity with players.’ ‘They operate as a mutually beneficial duo,’ Alex Flynn said.
Back in the summer of 1995, Dein had recruited Dennis Bergkamp from Inter Milan, the Dutchman costing a then record fee of £7.5 million and becoming the first major foreign star to switch to Highbury. Wenger, at Grampus Eight at the time, had been consulted over his recruitment. Dein and Hill-Wood had sought his advice and the Alsatian had agreed the striker ould be a good signing.
Having worked with Hoddle at Monaco and Stoijkovic in Nagoya, Wenger had learned not to be intimidated by top-quality footballers. His was not blind admiration for their talents or achievements. Rather, he expected them to bring with them all that they had learnt from their careers, but then to continue their education under him.
Yet, when Bergkamp witnessed the sacking of Rioch – who had nominally bought him to the club – and the appointment of Wenegr in his stead, he was initially doubtful. ‘At the beginning I was a bit confused,’ said Bergkamp. ‘I wondered what this meant for me. Arsenal, and Rioch, had bought me the previous summer, and I wondered whether I would fall out of favour with the new boss just as I had done at Inter previously.’ Yet Bergkamp respected the reputation of the man who took up the reins. ‘When I was playing with Ajax, we often compared ourselves to Monaco, in particular the way both teams deployed two strikers. I was up to date with his match philosophy.’
Bergkamp had real pedigree. When he and Wenger met for the first time, they found common ground on which to base their future relationship. ‘I had wanted to come to England, I had always wanted it,’ he said. ‘For me, for a long time, the English supports – from all clubs – have been the best in the world. They sing, each player has his own song, it’s unique.’
‘Here in England, we get the feeling that the fans suffer in silence with their team, but support them vocally,’ added Wenger. ‘That’s the dream, anyway. In other countries, in general, they support in silence and destroy with passion.’ This understanding and empathy with the British fans was one of the keys to explaining why Bergkamp and Wenger hit it off from the outset. They had common goals. The other link between them was born of how they liked the game to be played.
‘As soon as he arrived, I knew that his approach suited me,’ said Bergkamp. ‘The teams of Arsene Wenger play offensive football, aiming as a priority to exploit their strengths. This is perfect for me. I was asked why I had signed for Arsenal during my first season with the club. This, after all, was a team with a certain reputation and at whom opposing supporters would chant ‘boring, boring Arsenal’. They had a reputation for defensive football, for squeezing out 1-0 wins, but I knew that a new Arsenal was being born. At the end of a few weeks, a few months, I realized that it was a unique club. And after that, everything went well, thanks to the arrival of Wenger, of course, who was exactly the manager we needed at that time. Everything changed, and looks where it took us in the end.’
The pair went into battle side by side – one on the pitch, the other in the dressing room. Indeed, they seemed to feed off each other. ‘I was always like this, even at Ajax,’ said the Dutchman. ‘It is important to show that you can fight, for the supporters and the team. And here, in England, it is vital.’
‘You watch matches between Premier League teams, mainly made up of foreign players, who play real English football in terms of the rhythm of the game,’ sad Wenger. ‘That is to say that it is the public and the relationship on the pitch that motivates you.’
In keeping with that, Bergkamp was never afraid of using an elbow or going in with studs showing to play his part for the team, and was sent off numerous times as a result.
‘In my heart, I know what is really important for our sport: winning matches, claiming trophies,’ he said. ‘But it is normal for the public to support players with style and flair rather than those who only have to work at it.’
‘There is always a balance to be found between basic principles,’ added Wenger. ‘For me, football is above all a game with principles of organization but, at the same time, a certain freedom of expression. What attracted me to the game was the fact that players can express themselves. ‘
In his first training sessions with Bergkamp, Wenger insisted the striker work on his strong points – his artistic side – rather than spending time trying to improve areas of his game that were not really in his nature, such as tackling. ‘Working on technique is very important to me,’ said Bergkamp. ‘Arsene would tell me that his idea was to give me a certain liberty, almost a free role, rather than make me play within a rigid system.’ Wenger would later use the same theory to coax the best out of Thierry henry after he was signed in 1999, asking the forward to refine his sprint, his dribbles and shooting, and transform a player who had lost all confidence at Juventus into a world-class striker.
Not that Bergkamp and Wenger always saw eye to eye. Some four years after Wenger’s arrival. Just after Euro 2000, Bergkamp announced his retirement from international football to concentrate his time solely on the Gunners. ‘Yet, when I took this decision, Arsene warned me that he might not be playing me as often in the future,’ recalled Bergkamp. ‘I said to him: “Hang on a minute. I’ve just ended my international career to dedicate myself exclusively to my club, and you’re telling me I can’t play every match?” It was strange to say the least.’
Resentful, Bergkamp, already considered a veteran and with more than 30 goals under his belt for the club, was vocal in questioning his role as luxury substitute. Wenger dodged the complaint by merely doffing his cap to the Dutchman. ‘People say we have more than 27 million fans throughout the world,’ he said at the time. ‘If this is true, it is to a great extent thanks to Dennis, and if anyone symbolizes true team spirit in our game, it is him.’ Placated by this public show of support, Bergkamp remained a bastion of the club during its most successful spell in the modern era.
“Arsene Wenger – The Biography” by Xavier Rivoire (2007)
___________________________________________________________
With disloyal players and ex-players slamming Arsenal FC, they don’t make players like Dennis Bergkamp no more.
WHo in our 2011/12 team will be that lynchpin that Arsene Wenger is building his team to fill “Bergy’s Hole”?
Great comment Merlin,
‘With disloyal players and ex-players slamming Arsenal FC, they don’t make players like Dennis Bergkamp no more’.
Hoping to see a Pole-Fight for the NO.1 Jersey.
Morning all 🙂
Hi Viks – two poles sounds a bit like ‘4-candles’….
still, better than one spaniard and one pole 😉
Morning all.
I am not too worried on the goalie situationa s I felt that Fabianski is a late developer and will only improve with Szczesney pushing him all the way.
But then it will end up like that messy Clemente-Shilton situaiton in England team which means one of ’em got to lose out big-time and play 2nd fiddle at Arsenal FC.
I am not too comfortable with Chesney as he is rather impulsive and at tail-end of season, he did nto covered himself with glory.
I will say, Fabianski just shade it as our No. 1 for this season.
Vermaelen?
hard to say now as it all depends as to which tall 6′ 3″ to 6′ 5″ “experienced” CB that Wenger is eyeing and buy before end-July.
Otherwise, I see Djourou-Vermaelen as our new CB pairing.
Hi Merlin, i’d still like us to bring in an old head between the posts, someone for them both to learn from, who will push them that bit further – but can’t see that happening.
As long as Wenger buys a strong defender to protect them more than we seem to right now….
Goes back to Cahill or Samba, preferably both 😉
Busy day for me so got to head off – back late afternoon…
Have a good day all…..
Focus and communication can be the keys to a successful season for Arsenal, according to Johan Djourou.
The Swiss international made great strides last term after virtually a year out with injury but the back four of which he was a part came in for criticism as Arsène Wenger’s side failed to deliver a trophy despite a promising start to the campaign.
The manager himself identified set-pieces as Arsenal’s Achilles heel in 2010/11 and has pledged to put that right in time for the new season. Djourou understands where he and his fellow defenders need to improve.
“I think it’s true that we conceded a lot of goals from set-pieces and I think a lot comes down to focus more than anything else,” he told Arsenal.com.
“I have to say as well that in this league players are really going for it. To mark man-for-man is sometimes difficult because there is so much blocking that you need to adapt and we will do that.
“But it’s more about focus than anything else, it’s more about getting tight to your guy and more communication between the team. Then it will be easier for us.
“Of course it is a team job too. That is something that doesn’t always gets mentioned, we should look more into the game and see other ways that you can stop goals.
“But I am sure that as individuals we have looked at ourselves. I am the type of guy who wants to get better. We have meetings after games to talk about where we go wrong and now it’s time to learn from it and move forward.”
Rico, Great stuff as usual and waiting to see how our goalkeeping scenario unfolds this season and again I repeat all our three keepers are pretty good (scezy, fab and Vito) and whoever gets a nod will be do the job
Merlin 96, I see Wenger going with Kos and Verminator. I personally rate Kos very highly and this season he is gonna show us just that
Have we bought anyone yet??
“WHo in our 2011/12 team will be that lynchpin that Arsene Wenger is building his team to fill “Bergy’s Hole”?”
I would have loved that to be Cesc but it looks like that will end in disappointment.
Robin Van Persie may be the closest. I like the attitude of the Dutch. They so often seem to be blessed with great artistic skills yet have that bite and commitment about them that is so valuable in the Premier League.
Aj,we need players like Bergy who not only have skill but also have that fight.
I belive Wilshere and Ramsey could be the players to replace Bergkamp both on and off the field.
It says a lot of Bergkamps standard that we need two players to replace him.
AW should settle the Fab and Nasri transfer issue once and for all because it is certainly affecting Arsenal’s preparations for the up coming season- are they staying or not?
As for the goal keeping issue,AW should get a more experienced keeper for us, as neither sczey nor Fanb is good enough-and Wenger get Cahil, we need him
Koscielny has been immense. He seems to have more energy than any CB I have ever seen. Don’t forget it was his first season last year and I reckon he has done as well as any CB has ever done here in his first season. Vermaalen has buckets of energy to. I would be happy to rotatet the 3 of them with the new buy that Wenger is getting. A tall chap against then likes of Stoke would work wonders , but if you want me to say that either Samba, or to a lesser extent Cahill is better than what we have then I cannot agree.
As far as Bergkamp is concerned, I very strongly remember thinking just after our first title, the following year, that we would have won the next one that we missed (by 1 point I think) had Bergkamp played more. As far as I am concerned, that is the single biggest mistake of Wenger’s manegership. We could have basically had 2 more titles (2 less for Man U.). Now you look at where we would have been then. We would have been currently on 15 titles and United on 17. Not such a gap as there actually is.
Oh well, the future is looking very good, we’ll soon overtake them.
Ken, no doubt Koscielny is improving by leaps and bound last season, but he lacks that bulk and height of Djourou.
Plus playing Wenegr’s 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1, one of the CB must be attacking mind, can be another “deep playmaker”, coming in deep to link up with attack and a sudden goal threat in opponent box.
Gallas played this role beautifully; and also Vermaelen in his first season with us.
I will not sell Djourou short and gives him the benefit of doubt as last season was his full seasonw ith us. Perhaps he will improve tremendously thsi season.
Lstly, actually I see Djourou as a DCM as during his debut as a teenager, I wa simpressed with hsi calmness on the ball, always looking to bring the ball out of defence and always looking for a pass..instead of a hoof-ball.
He was desperately unlucky with injuries and I hope this injury jinx is banished this new season and we will see what Djourou is made of.
Merlin,I agree with you, we should make JD the DM.
Denilson is going on loan to Brazil, Wenger has confirmed.
Why not sell him? His disrespectful comments would have left him clubless in a matter of minutes at other clubs..
‘cos nobody want to buy him…lol
hardly forming a long queue for wenger’s “best squad ever” surplus players are they?
Highly amused at De Gea “I want to go back and play for my club one day”.
Awesome!
I appreciate Denilson’s parting words about the club. As I said a couple days ago, I feel bad for the kid. Things didn’t work out. I’m sure he is more disappointed with that than we are. Bendtner on the other hand is a little harder to sympathize with because of his arrogance, but even then I always try to remember these players are barely more than children. Considering what a fool I was myself in my 20s, I guess I’m just a bit more forgiving than others.
All that being said, I’m glad to see Denilison go, and I can’t wait for Bendtner’s deal to go through as well.
He also got a little lippy for my liking Doc, no need for the comments he made at the end of the season.I hope him or bendy manages to get a stretcher and take Diaby with them…..!
So we could have one of the deadwood gone, just Nik B and Almunia now.
Evening folks, any news??
Denilson gone then, loan will do for starters, hopefully he’ll impress and stay there 😉
Whats the betting we still paying half his massive wages…!
Bloody hope not……
Joel Campbell is due a medical with us then??
Our PR dept really are second rate.
According to SSN the Bolton newspaper is saying we are close to getting Cahill.
Good afternoon!
I think I have said that TV is not a left defender. Plays in this position in the Belgian selection because the selection is not a reasonable left full backe and they have three central defenders above average.
The team is unbalanced. I still say that lack of defenses and the output side of Denilson (on loan) a strong player, fast and combative in the middle. ahead of the defense. There was a player in Az Alkmaar but I think it goes to Sporting. Then there are other needs, depending on the outputs. A goalkeeper is another.
I also think that for each output to acquire a player may not be the solution. Players do not have the same characteristics and it is questionable whether there are improvements.
We all agree that Arsenal need to be more ambitious, more important, be more candidate to win and this is only achieved with a dynamic victory with a way to clearly present as a favorite, and especially with players to bring the quality level.
We’ve been through in July and the balance of entry-exit is not, in my opinion, in favor of Arsenal. Quite the contrary.
The league starts in less than one month, the CL too, loved him in September, we may be out of the League and the CL is almost a mirage.
And the season being compromising.
just been reading that too Will, i hope it’s true…..
As long as we don’t pay stupid money Rico.
YG’s say Campbell is having his medical tonight, and his father says we are appling for a special talent permit… mme, bet we don’t get it!
We just need to pay what Bolton value him at Will, no more, no less….
Rico. I agree and disagree.
evening all.
whats this denny gone, they must have dragged him out, This Campbell any good or what.
How would you feel if we sold Cesc to Barca for £32M??
I see what you mean but I also don’t think we should or can be held to ransom over silly money.
I think £10M is a lot but £17m is stealing.
Hi Steve,
He’s been described as a player with long legs and masses of raw talent, isn’t he already playing for his country at big boy level?….
But Will, 17million is what Bolton value him at and that is what we have to pay if we want to sign him – he’s english, which = £ signs, he’s going to be the defender to replace Terry for his country and he’s got 7/8 years at the top of his game – £17 million imho is not a bad price…
Smalling cost the Mancs £10 million, unproved at that time and still not really shown he is the best – and that was two summers ago..
Ok, I will go with your opinion.
I just hope they can run all season
I know one thing Will we got rid of Adebayor for 25mill Cahills a steal at that price
I’m not 100% convinced.
It’s the way things are Will, I don’t like the way prices have been inflated but, if we want a strong dominant CH who is English, that’s the price…
But, we have done that discussion to death here 😉
😆 Steve – i like that….
And yes, compare that price to Ade, or even Kolo Toure….
Wonder how much Phil Jones cost the Mancs??
16/17 Million and he’s only 19 years old……
Trouble with us is we want bundles for our players and want to pay peanuts for quality
I would snatch the money thats been offered for Nasri and buy Cahill and Parker and say thank you very much
Nasri = Cahill & Enrique
Cesc = Mata & Sissoko or M’Vila
Job done………!
Eactly Steve, we cannot have it both ways…
I wouldn’t be unhappy with that Steve, nor what WATH is suggesting…
If players want out, take the money and make us a stronger team…
A team like ours, that has supposedly been strapped for cash, can not allow a player to go on a free. what ever other clubs think about us being an inferier team if we let him go, who gives a shit what they think, definitly not me
As said before, who leaves is irrelevant it’s who’s brought in that matters…! Big clubs don’t lose their best players says wenger, utter crap the mancs lost Ronaldo, it’s how you replace them is what makes you a big club or not if you put the money in the bank you have no ambition and are a selling club spend the money improve the team shows you have intent and also shows no player is bigger than the club as well…! Makes a statement…!
Well said that Man
Steve, I am sure clubs already see us as a selling club and a second tier club.
Steve – with you again, if Fabregas and Nasri want out, tell the footballing world that they are up for sale and sell to the highest bidder…
Bollox to where they want to go, they don’t want to be with us….
Here here WATH…..
Rico, I would not want either of them to go to another Prem team unless we already had better replacements ready.
I dont agree Will, Who have we sold that we wanted to keep
Will, imho, i truly believe cesc is crocked and if Citeh got him, he’d be so unhappy he wouldn’t play well, if he got a game…
Nasri, well for me he hasn’t really shown he’s a player we cannot afford to sell….
If the selling of both means wenger re-inests the money, they can go as far as i am concerned….
60 million well spent by a manager likes us, i am sure would be well spent…
As long as he spends it I must add…..
Agree Steve, did anyone shout and screan about how good clichy was during the season? We haven’t sold anyone else yet have we?
I have to disagree on that.
The way i see it at the moment, Wenger is injecting with what he believes will lift the players, Geronimo will be exciting whether he will be any good only time will tell, Jenkinson is playing and getting experience, if campbells soup comes off he may also be worth watching, and if he buys a cahill i could be a happy gooner, What with Ryo we may even get a visa, Bartly almost ready that don’t sound to bad to me
We only want Cesc and Nas if they are fully commited if not then they must go
it’s ok to do that here Will, ..
Add a defensive midfielder to those Steve and we won’t be too far off matey from being pretty competative…!
But Steve, i think we know they are not, and can we afford to lose 20M on nasri? i don’t think so….
only one answer then rico, Nas believes he is on a par with Cesc Personally neither did enough last year for bugger all rise in my opinion
WATH, we truly need a DM, just as much as a defender imho…..
Sorry Steve, but i agree again 🙂
I wouldnt give Cesc fuck all rise…….. He’s on plenty money as it is he’s said nothing abt staying like he did a few yrs back so mega obvious he wants to leave, no good having 2 bad apples nor is it worth keeping anyone who doesnt wanna be there…!
I still think Wenger has an ace up his sleave
I still think he wants Cahill or Samba but i reckon he’s got sombody in reserve if he cant buy them for the price he wants to pay
Bartley to bolton for a yrs loan will do him the world of good…! should help them a little when they sell us Cahill………. Throw in Miguel as well for good measure…!
Right guys, i’m off to press the play button on Dispatches – I’m looking forward to seeing how Manure have been a tad naughty 😉 😉
Oh, and of course the once England captain, Bryan Robson 😉
I’m still here though, just watching a typing, for you boys, it’s called multi tasking 🙂
Steve, i think he’s going to surprise us too – don’t ask me why but i really do …
WATH, I’d give Bolton Squilli and Nik and we take Cahill for 2 Million…. Fair deal??
And, let Chuks and Afobe go there too for one season loan, they’d benefit big time….
I’m off too night guys, till we do it again.
Night Steve – have a good one….
Cheers Steve….
I think Bolton would tell you to piss off Rico…………. 😉
😆 WATH, you are kidding….
Yes I am, it would probably me far more abusive than that if you tried 2mil plus bendy n squilli…!
Don’t forget the two loanees…..
They’d tell you to stick the other two, make it 15mil plus the two loaness and you may be close 😉
😆 ok, i know where you are coming from – but let them have squilli for free then ….
I’m done for the day, so catch up tomorrow…
nighty folks….
If Wenger makes a big move this summer and signs Samba, Cahill or even just any random defender for more than a couple million, I will shave my head.
Doc your cheating, your bald already 😀
Night Rico……….
HI Doc, Nighty Doc 😉
Night WATH
Morning all…..
New Post up….