Well surprise surprise…
Just as the manager and the board have started agreeing with what supporters have been asking for, which of course is better players and to strengthen a wilting team, we hear that the club are now suggesting that one of our best players and captain to boot, is being allowed to leave if Barcelona are prepared to up their offer of £27million!
At the same time they are also considering Manchester United’s offer of £20million for Nasri who so far has declined to sign a new contract.
If reports are right, his terms to sign a new contract would be to increase his £70,000 a week to £120,000!!
If claims like that are true, there can only be one end result can’t there, after all this is Arsenal were talking about isn’t it!!
Anyway, reading between the lines it appears that instead of adding to our present talent, we will be letting two of our better players leave – at present it’s just paper talk and we know they love nothing better than to throw a spanner in the works but the strange thing is, the club are not denying either of the stories!
Doesn’t exactly fill you with confidence over their futures does it?
The way things stand at the moment is that we have been linked with many players and if all of them were true, I honestly don’t know where we would put them but again, we hear nothing from our club!
Something has been nagging me for a while, so I thought I’d write about it…
So often recently I have read about how certain players are getting frustrated playing for Arsenal, they want to be winning trophies and 2/3 have even suggested they would try and seek that piece of silverware at another club rather than stay with us.
Well my view is, if that’s the way they think, then they should just go and go now!!
In my view our club will never win silverware with players that aren’t ready to fight for all they are worth to create a winning team.
I also feel that even our very best players feel the same they should not bother hanging around, they should just go and go now!! Yes, that may mean we lose quality players and it may even put us back a bit, but I truly believe that we only need players who are prepared to fight for the honour of the red and white of Arsenal Football club.
Many supporters are also feeling frustrated, often after a bad result our Manager gets the blunt end of the stick off of the Arsenal faithful and many call for him to be axed by the board.
I have been guilty of this too but in hindsight he did get us to The Carling Cup final, he also lead us a long way in the Champions League, only to lose to the team that finally won the competition. He also led us to at one stage leading the Premier League by quite a few points only to finish the season in fourth place but was that the Managers fault? After all, he’s the one that picks the team, he’s the one who holds the responsibly of getting the best of the team…
My answer to that is No, we have players who suggest they are so desperate to win trophies, well they are the ones guilty in my eye’s – they had the chance to win our first trophy for six years and blew it, that’s how much they wanted a trophy!
The same players were leading the Premier League but surrendered it with ease, that showed how much they wanted to win!
Then there was the Champions League, they did try in that one in my opinion but when bad decisions came their way, their heads went down all too quick.
So no, it’s not the Managers fault…
Everything is down to those so-called superstars who feel as if they have to go to another club to get the trophies they crave for but perhaps some of them do not realise that you have to fight for things in this world and just because you’re earning between £50,000 to £120,000 a week, it doesn’t mean you deserve reward – you only get that through hard work, effort and total commitment.
The average hardworking supporter probably earns a lot less than that a year let alone a week but he/she knows that you have to work hard for that…
Until some of our players realise just how lucky they are and learn to give 100% week in week out for the red and white of Arsenal, the club we all love and support, we will continue to struggle.
If they can’t do that, then they should just go and go sooner rather than later and let Arsenal Football Club move on……..
Written by Steve Palmer
Couple of tit-bits to add, Barcelona are reported to have upped their bid for Fabregas to £35 Million plus ‘add ons’ and Old Red Nose has reported to have been given the all clear to make the offer for Nasri. We know Fabregas wants to go and I think this offer will be accepted but Nasri – like Steve says, if he really doesn’t want to stay then I hope an overseas club come in with a higher offer than £20 Million, then let him go and move on.
Seems I have got my dates all in a muddle, tomorrow is the 1st July, not today 😉
Have a good one…..
Morning All
Cracking post Steve, fully agree about the players, some of their attitudes are so very wrong, most games last season our young english man showed what it meant to play in the red and and white, he never gave up..
Same can be said of RvP….
with a spine of Chezza, TV, Jack + RVP we’ll be ok
100% agree with you mate.
Dom, and Ramsey… 😉
great post steve….
OUT- all those players who dont want to play for the shirt…..
IN- those players who want to play for the club and give their 200% ,they may be little less in quality but who cares……
AF, did you see Ricky has said on twitter he want to join us..
Stoke, Birmingham, Bolton, Newcastle and WBA aren’t full of superstars but they all beat us – they are full of players who don’t give up…
Ha! Looks like the tabloid spiel has got to someone! I know its hard, but dont let the tittle tattle get you down. There’s sod all we can do tom affect outcomes, but until any of this shit is comfirmed, I dont believe a word of it. In fact I am still confident Cesc and Nasri (well, really confident about one) will still be at the club come August.
Chn up! Seeya! 😀
yes but it could be fake…some cheeky fans set up a fake accounts you now…..
Oh Steve wrote today.s post. That explains alot. 😉
Hi Dexter,
Cesc is gone, it’s just a matter of time…
I hope the Mancs bid for Nasri, it will either spark a bidding war or, it could just make him sign…. Bench at Mancs 😉
“he also lead us a long way in the Champions League, only to lose to the team that finally won the competition”
i take you are not referring to last season as we only reached the first round of the knock out stage. more to the point is Wenger screwed up the easiest group we ever had and the consequences were Barca in the next round
I know AF but didn’t another club manager say we have signed him too….
or was that Gevinho?
Good read steve.we need some good news soon.all these rumours are leaving me depressed. leaving me depressed.
Our club is a huge institution, people come people go, Arsenal remain our club, so if aplayers are not happy in red and white the only way is to show them door as soon as a good offer arrives.
You are spot on! It’s not manager who wins trophy – it’s the greedy players who have to work hard and get what they want. If each of the so called super stars had scored or avoided silly mistakes arsenal would have won at least two trophies last season. They should stop blackmailing poor supporters who are paying over odds to watch and or buy replicas. A lesson here to learn – develop our boys through the academies and stop importing these foreign boys who come to our academies pretending to be younger than their real age and take English boy’s place.
the players who will atleast give their 200% for sure for the club…..
scezeny
sagna verm cahill(pls sign him) jenkinso
miyachi wilshere ramsey alvarez
rvp walcott
rob, have to agree re wenger mucking up the group stage, we should have walked that group but for silly selections…
but, i think the point is being made about how some of our players just don’t give enough when needed, especially the so called fringe ones..
look at the FA Cup matches….
And, ultimately, Wenger buys them if they are not good enough or not prepared to fight for their club, he should sell them…
Ok… let put AW on transfer list too now…..
Yes rico the palermo president had said that arsenal have signed him but hes not a very reliable source
as i have heard………and do you think that alvarez could be cesc replacement……
Nasri is a difficult one.Yes he had a great first half of last season.but when he was asked to maintain his level of performance,later,and help Arsenal win trophies he was found wanting.That said i’ve always believed that he could fulfill the Cesc role if required.I would prefer him to stay at this stage but he needs to be playing along side the right people within the right formation.
At this stage in the transfer window it’s particularly interesting to note that there has been little to no interest in Arsenal’s “deadwood”.Almunia,Denilson.Bentner etc are about to report to pre-season training. So it seems that Monsieur Wenger is the only manager who deems them to be good enough to play for his team and be worthy of their ridiculous wages-no wonder this team is incapable of winning a trophy!
The only blame I can put on Manager is about his blind faith in some of these players who let him down so badly. Players have to be on their toes. You want to play for us, show with a right attitude. You have a wrong attitude, the door is open.
Morning to those just joining
Hi Kt, tomorrow is the day….
Albert,
AW still needs to get a bit of experience in the door to show them the way…
AF,
We don’t need to ‘replace’ Cesc, we just need to spend the money to strenghten in others areas…
joel,
the deadwood could start to move after tomorrow when the window offically opens, or, in the latter stages on the window when clubs think they will get them cheaper
aka, the way wenger normally works 😉
Morning Peeps, 🙂
A very good, very passionate ans sensible Post Steve. Well done! 🙂
I too think that if players whinge about not getting trophies, and want to move on because of it, they should go. Not because they do not have guts or loyalty, or to ‘punish’ them, tho’ that matters too, but because they are brainless idiots!
They sound like stupid kids who play chess or draughts and get in a strop because they keep losing.
If they are in a losing footie team, it’s because of their crap play, which has contributed to the team losing. What is there to understand.
Actually, altho’ I believe the above, I think the real reason is that their whingeing is either about wanting more dosh, or in Cesc’s case the call of glory in his Catalan homeland.
Either way they all should f*ck off. I am sick of the obscene wage demands of certain players, or of hearing about Cesc’s bloody ‘DNA’.
Other than that I am feeling fine today, hope you all are too! 🙂
totally agree with “arseblog” on this one-under NO circumstances should cesc be allowed to leave unless barca cough up the reqd £45 million plus…sends out the wrong message-are we barcas bitches or are we ambitious?as for nasri,if he stays,great if not,anywhere other than manure.cos we’re def not their bitches!
sorry to mention barcelona but heard that they are gonna announce the signings of alexis sanchez and cesc fabregas before next week……hope its not true…
I think its odd how so many of you expect players to play for “honour.” Its a two way street. If you expect players to play for honour, then you should also expect the Clubs to treat players with honour.
But in the modern age, that will never happen. The pressure on Managers is to great for them to treat a struggling player with so called “honour.” And that pressure doesn’t always come from ownership – its also the fans… The same fans that carry on about “honour” are usually the first to demand we dump a player who has a bad game or two.
The players can not expect loyalty from clubs these days, and so the clubs (and fans) should not expect it from the players. In the modern age, every man is responsible for his own destiny. That’s just the way it is.
Hi RA
Perhaps they’d getter a better wage if they deserved it, like you say, they can go…
itchy, he’s gone, and to be fair, there is no way he could play for us again imho – he’s said and done too much to be in red and white again…
He’s meant to be our captain….
AF, i reckon the club will accept this latest offer, i’d like to know what the ‘add ons’ are….
Doc – the money in todays game has put pay to any loyalty and honour…
I agree with you Steve, but like you stated,we didn’t win the C/C or the P/L or make the C/L final.I believe this season will be much more difficult due to our rivals looking to heavily invest in their teams.And if this wasn’t enough we may loose Cesc and Samir as well as Clichy,who arguably is a good as the replacements being mentioned.I’m sure things are going on behind the scene with regards to new signings but are they what we need? Now i mean no disrespect by this but are Gervinho and oxo-glade aren’t going to improve the starting 11,so why buy them? My point is we have invested more money( than most of our rivals)in the future,what we need is the NOW! we need players to come into the first team and make an impact. Surely with the sales of key and fringe player combined with the £30/40 kitty we’re supposed to have, we can do this.It is pointless listing players(I’m sure Arsene knows more about them than i do) however if our manager cannot spend £’s on these players,then unfortunately it’s time we got someone who can before we’re having to get excited about europa quals.
Stefan savic is lined as replacement by arsenal if talks between arsenal and cahill collaspe…..now who is this new guy…
Interesting comments about Wenger waiting for a chain of events to fall into place. It looks like 2 chains are waiting:
1) Nasri/Clichy/Fab leaving, leading to purchase of players like Mata, etc
2) Arsenal looking at targets at other clubs that are refusing to sell until they’ve reviewed all offers – eg. Samba, Alvarez (Inter), Gervinho (PSG, Spurs), Cahill (City).
I guess the key issue here is whether a club should simply add on the extra 5 million pounds to make things happen more quickly. Some fans are deploring the manager for not doing this, but in my mind, those extra millions are an absolute fortune that must be managed. Whether we sign the player now or in 2 weeks time is largely immaterial when the difference is 5 million pounds.
Good comment Aj, as much as they could improve our squad we need a couple of world class players bought too, players who know how to win at all costs….
Cahill has to be a must
AF – I don’t believe that story…
savage, Cahill has said he doesn’t want to go to City, he wants to join us, just depends whether Wenger will offer Bolton the right price…
I don’t know what is taking him so long unless the sales need to be made first, although I doubt that very much, he has money, he needs to get on and spend it otherwise we will lose out yet again….
Talking about players who can come and produce “now” is a bit mythical – every manager dreams of it, but no amount of money can guarantee it. Players like Malouda, Hargreaves, Dzeko, Aquilani, Berbatov, Modric, Palacios, Gomez, Carroll, Pires, Nasri, etc were all bought for good sums, but you can never ever guarantee instant success, as the above list indicates with players who took two or three seasons to find their groove, or in some cases picked up injuries or could never really gel with team-mates.
Take the striker situation at United for an example. Logic says that you bring in a 30 million pound striker and cure your problems. Didn’t happen. Berbatov just didn’t quite work, and of the 22 odd goals he scored last season, he was blowing hot and cold from one game to the next. In the end, the cheaper young import from Mexico did the job, and there’s no way he was expected to deliver like he did. Hernandez would have been our Alvarez equivalent.
Rico, I don’t believe everything I read in the Newsnow headlines. There is always more detail and discussion going on behind the scenes that we’re not aware of.
The worst part of it is when one story makes up a headline and it gets replicated ten times. Repetition looks like fact, but you always have to start off as a sceptic and accept that there are facts that you won’t ever hear about, or as in the case of C.Ronaldo, only hear about much later.
I’m not so sure, if they have already proved themselves in the PL they should adjust easily to a new side..
Most of those listed came from a different league and that is where the problem lies, Berbytoff has always been the same, at spuds and mancs he’s just lazy and then does something brilliant when he feels like it..
Carroll next season will show why the dippers paid what they did for him i’m sure…
We’re in for a season similar to 08/09 next season folks.despite playing some great stuff we crumbled when it mattered again and our best players are being linked away again.losing cesc/nasri will impact us the same way hleb/flamini departures did no matter who we buy.our shit players have no imminent buyers so they’ll play.we’ll struggle to qualify for the CL let alone challenge for titles.esc/nasri will impact us the same way hleb/flamini departures did no matter who we buy.our shit players have no imminent buyers so they’ll play.we’ll struggle to qualify for the CL let alone challenge for titles.
Savage, i don’t believe any of it either to be honest and you make a good point about repetition..
i’ll only believe what is printed on afc.com..
In the meantime though, it’s good to speculate 😉 😉
Although, when we are linked to quality players, it can also be depressing 🙁
“Cahill has said he doesn’t want to go to City, he wants to join us” is a classic example – this is by no means fact.
Kt, do you realise your comments are being duplicated within the same comment??
Savage, but it was in The Sun newspaper, it’s got to be right 😉 😉
Just jesting, very good point………
Agreed Rico. It’s all pretty confusing, but I do live in hope that Wenger knows what he’s doing. I’m a proud AKB after all.
There is one reality we can’t deny – Wenger’s self-sustaining model simply can’t compete on the market against the other big boys. If it comes to money, we’re generally going to be back in the queue.
except your point rico-but to undersell him?regadrless of the message it sends out to our fans,players.we have to earn respect.as sure as hell,we don’t seem to have it from anyone at present..
😆 Savage, i hope he does know what he’s doing this summer, he ceratinly doesn’t seem to have done in the last 3/4 seasons….
We have money though, he just chooses not to spend it on big players – look how much he spent Squlli and Kos??
16-17 million, that would have bought Cahill last summer and with change…..
itchy – don’t get me wrong, i think if torres goes for 50M then so should Cesc, but i just can’t see Barca paying that kind of money – personally i would announce to the footballing world he is for sale to the highest bidder and see what happens then…
If they really really want him, they’d find the money….
I’m beginning to accept that there’s another side to journalism: needing to create the impression that you know exactly what’s happening, that you’re “in the know”.
Take this from the Telegraph today: “Ferguson has become increasingly confident in his chances of prising Nasri from Arsenal”. What the hell? How does he know that? He says that and then he throws in a whole lot of logic that makes sense, and to stupid readers, the latter logic makes the former statement look credible. Hang on a moment, no it doesn’t.
This is the art of politics – if you can create a crescendo of commentary, you make it look as though something is massive truth, when a story started out of something very small that would normally be ignored.
In the end, I’m just holding out for the .com confirmation like everyone else 🙂
“that would have bought Cahill”… again that’s not fact
You should read the same story in The Sun, it’s worse 😉
The joys of having to read all the newspapers ……
Or Sky Sports Savage, they tend to be right on their signing announcements, everything else they report is from the papers….
That ‘could’ have bought Cahill Savage, don’t be pedantic, Owen Coyle said in an interview which I watched on TV, in the interview he said that £15 Million would be the offer needed to buy Cahill….
excellent post
all those who dont want to waer the ARSENAL shirt can piss off nasri or fab or anyone else for that matter.
they are nothing copmared to Arsenal FC and totally ungreatful.
nasri has played well for about half a season thorughout the tenure of his contract.
the ungrateful prat was quiet happy that he had a contract when his leg got broken and we nursed him through and got him back playing.
even when he was shit we the fans and Wenger gave him encouragement and this is how the PRAT repays us by wanting to go to man utd.
i say unless he does not sign or leave for a foriegn club then suffer the financial loss anmd stick him in the reserves and fuk him up in euuro champ year. if hes not playign 1st taem football then he wont be playing for France.
we need to back WENGER over any of these muppet players.
Who bought these players in the first place thenry??
Accepted, but Wenger did believe that Koz was the future of the French defence, and he may still be (he certainly has some big fans already). At 10m that would have made it a better buy at the time. You do get some decisions wrong, and I’ll give him room for that. Ferguson got it wrong on Bebe, Hughes got it wrong on Adebayor, etc, etc. Let’s hope AW gets it right this season.
Also, let’s be clear on this: Cahill will not solve all our problems. Clichy will still make mistakes, keepers will still flap at crosses. Bolton didn’t just win the clean sheets award with Cahill in their team, neither did Blackburn with Samba and Jones. I do believe that Cahill and Samba will be good signings though.
every manager has to buy players, it can happen to any manager even ferguesom has had player probs eg rooney in mid season threatening to leave for city.
my point is everyone is getting on Wengers back when its not all his fault and all this crap about 6 years without a cup is bollox
we have gone through longer periods then this without trophies but the difference is we weren’t building a new stadium and Wenger had his hands tied since 2005.
in the bond loans it states that we cannot make more then 7 million in transfer spend the rest has to be generated by player sales.
how can anyone expect to win titles when we have those types of constraints when your competitors are throwing money around like confetti.
its a miracle that we have stayed in teh top 4 and even challenged for the title up until march at least most years.
i dont believe there is manager out there who could have pulled this off so everyone should lay of his back and we will all be very sorry if and when he leaves.
fuk nasri fuk fab4 fuk clichy and all the other players who want to leave, get them out and replace them with hungrier new players who have a point to prove imo. the club will go on without them as it did when vierra bergy and henry left.
WE ARE ARSENAL TILL WE DIE!!!!
I think Cahill would enhance i defence greatly but he won’t solve it on his own, we all know that
Agree re both Samba and Cahill – we need someone ruthless in the air like him for particular games – he would deal with the crosses and stop the keepers flapping so much as the ball wouldn’t get to them…
Not wishing to sound off, but i don’t care about others mistakes, just ours and right now we have a few too many in our side who make mistakes too often, imho, its time for them to go….
So the manager is not to be blamed for the results. He is only responsible for bringing in the right players, coaching and motivating the team. I wonder in which area Mr Wenger would claim a success last season.
Interesting point that once again we are waiting to see how the transfer market develops before making a move. Contrast that with Man U, Liverpool, Barca etc, who have identified the players they want early and then already bought some of them.
Hi Steve,
He’s to blame for the purchases but you have to say that some of the players could have given a lot more in particular games – we know they can do it, but seem to not be up for every game….
As for the transfers or rather lack of them, that infuriates me too, not doubt Wenger in quibbling over a fiver!
thenry, just like every player we have, Wenger is replaceable – no person is bigger than AFC….
he can claim success in keeping Arsenal at the top whilst moving the club to a new stadium a feat not accomplished by any club.
i love the way the PLASTIC fans know better then a manager who has the respect of most of his peers in the footballing world.
yes i can just see, it all those plastics who quote buy this player and we need that player have all gone and scouted the player checked his medical records and already know that the player will adapt physiologically at a new BIGGER club.
i mean all this info from the sun and a few clips on MOTD or sky gives today’s plastic fan more knowledge about players then managers and scouts.
I BET ALL OF U WHO ARE DOUBTING THE BIG MAN must be at the top of your respective professions and are all knowledgeable and have never failed at anything ROTFLMAO!!!
ARSENE KNOWS more then all fo you PLASTIC fans who will be chasing the next glory boys soon no doubt and good ridence to players and fans who dont like the current situ at Arsenal.
been a season ticket holder since 1976 and Wengers years are the best imo. whats more the new breed jack arron will TAKE US TO NEW GLORIES ONCE AGAIN.
HAVE FAITH AND SUPPORT YOUR TEAM
thenry,
I think it is a bit rich to call us plastic – you have no idea..
You seem to be a fan who is happy to watch us slip away for the last few seasons, jeez, we couldn’t even manage to beat b’ham in the cc …
it matters not how long you have held a season ticket, nor does it matter how long you have supported arsenal, not everyone thinks that wenger is the best thing since sliced bread – he was but now he is looking a bit like he’s lost it…..
You would know if you read here regular that most just want the old wenger back, instead of the penny pinching man he has become….
Nice one thenry so because you been a season tkt holder since 1976 that gives you the right to tell the poster he’s a plastic fan does it..? don’t be such a knob…! He is entitled to his opinion just like you are but there’s no need to talk utter rubbish about him being plastic because his opinion differs from yours. Have the decency to get your point across without sounding like a typical AKB….!
Afternoon WATH ….
Is it afternoon already, sweet nearly time for a GG 😉
Wold that be a George Graham 😉
Am really beginning to hate that short cuss, nasri…
As you well know Rico it refer’s to a Grey Goose…. quadruple Vodka 😉
GS, if they wanna leave let em go…. Simples noone is bigger than the club, Noone….!!
Join the club stan, i don’t get what all the fuss is about with him, sign, simples…. or naff off….
I know WATH – horrid stuff 🙂
Reading on the Sun website comments section and we are a laughing stock, small club where even Man City fans are laughing at Wenger and us an saying who they will take from us.
For fucks sake, WE ARE ARSENAL.
Will, citeh could in theory take any player from any club if they really wanted MONEY alone can do that…! No need to worry abt what others think or say mate we need to see what wenger does then worry when the season starts as to who he has brought in…!
Hi Will, don’t read the comments…..
I wish Citeh would bid for Nasri 😉
Do you think at 12’o’clock tonight wenger give us the announcements of cahill and alvarez ? That could be great news wouldnt it? It could happen……..
morning all…no point in getting wound up or hating on nasri right now. lets see how this shakes out. right now, it is all unverified speculation – nobody has credibly confirmed its money, wanting super-duper world class, bestest in the world players to arrive or anything else. perhaps he is just considering his options; we may want him to commit here and now, but if the club has given him a negotiating window, is it really such a sin for him to use that window?
i cannot see arsene agreeing to sell him to man united. i think he would let nas walk for free before he strengthens a critical weakness in the club we are trying to catch. i imagine united will submit some kind of a bid, but i doubt red nose seriously thinks arene will sell. if we do, more the better. if not, perhaps its an opportunity to unsettle arsenal and supporters – it already seems to have worked in the latter instance.
cesc? we’ll see…
Well said Oliver, always a man to state reason rather than rumour to our perceptions and comments…!
Off for a bit, walkies time…
Catch you later…
thenry.I hear what you are saying about plastic fans but surely some of these guys who spend their hard earned cash on season tickets(+6%) and merchandise have the right to air their concerns.As an owner of a business i find it crucial to obtain feedback from customers,in order to continue to improve the business.By no means do i think Mr Wenger should take advice from us,but to constantly come out with claims that we tried to sign a top player months after a rival gets him,makes for depressing reading.The game has changed! to buy Henry14 now would cost above 20 mill. based on potential alone.As for bergkamp,pires and overmars they’d cost a lot more too.Spending 20,30,40 million on a player does not guarantee success but usually these figures are there because A: The club does not want to sell. B: there are numerous suitors driving up the price. C: The player has world class talent. Either way we try to look at it, if as a club we refuse to pay those sums,we will simply fail to compete.In sport we play to win,I believe we missed the chance to dominate the last 5 years when we didn’t replace our world class invicibles with world class replacements.think of buying benzema from lyon,villa from Zaragoza and v.company from Anderlect. I don’t know the answer but one thing is sure,we need this sort of talent in our team now.Lets hope we get Mata from Valencia,Cahill from Bolton,Alvarez from Velez and maybe just maybe Benzema from Madrid. Lets Hope Arsene proves he still Know’s.
Guys, it is the the sentiment that we are a small club ripe for the picking. We are one of the biggest clubs in world football but right now, we are a laughing stock.
rumours are that clichy has joined manchester city for 7 million……
For any Liverpool fan obsessed with statistics about players or the club, I fully recommend visiting Anfield Index who utilise Opta Index stats. Comparing some of the Premier League’s top left backs, one of the shocking things is that Gael Clichy comes out favourably in terms of his defensive stats but is surprisingly poor in the offensive third.
Myth 1) Gael Clichy Cannot Defend – Looking at the stats, it is apparent that Clichy gets an unfair press for his defensive frailties. On 50/50 challenges, he wins 58% of a total of 351 challenges while Everton ’s Leighton Baines is at 55% and Newcastle’s Jose Enrique is at 51%. In regards to total tackles, Clichy made 50 more than Enrique and 27 more than Baines with a favourable success percentage of 81% to Enrique’s 84% and Baines 74%. On aerial challenges too, Clichy attempted 111 compared to just 44 by Enrique and 43 by Baines and winning just over half at 51%, a better percentage than Enrique (32%) but less than Baines at 63%, although the number of aerial challenges attempted means Clichy won more in total.
Myth 2) Gael Clichy makes too many crucial mistakes – A very simple stat that shows that Clichy is equal to both Enrique and Baines. Clichy made one defensive error that led to a goal last season, according to Opta Stats, while Leighton Baines made 2 and Jose Enrique made 1.
Myth 3) Gael Clichy creates chances going forward – Bizarrely, considering how Clichy is perceived as an offensive full back, his chance creation stats don’t reflect too favourably compared to Baines’ and Enrique’s. Over the course of last season, Clichy only created 21 goal scoring opportunities while Baines managed to create a staggering 74 (although the figure is skewed by the fact he is a set piece taker), with Enrique creating a solid 30.
In regards to dribbling, Clichy made 21 successful dribbles compared to 26 by Baines, but they are both overshadowed by Enrique’s 65 over the course of last season.
In the attacking third, crossing is also an important factor and Clichy does pretty poorly in these stats too (although it must be said Arsenal don’t cross the ball that often). The French full back only made 15 accurate crosses out of 88 attempted, while Baines completed 100 out of 351 attempts, making him 10% more likely to deliver a killer ball. Enrique had 31 accurate crosses out of 132 attempted.
Of course stats can’t tell us everything but if Liverpool are working under a Moneyball Strategy model, they may look at these stats, and think to themselves that both Clichy and Baines maybe worth looking at for opposite reasons; the Everton defender for an attacking minded option and Clichy for his defensive talent.
morning wath. no point in doing this to ourselves. nothing has happened yet, so nothing to report…yet.
afternoon all
Gervinho is a interesting in the context of the squad if last year. Adds value. It was not to replace anyone. With the announced departures and hires speaking, the imbalance is to hand Arsenal.
Still waiting
Totally agree Oliver, AJ good points made and very valid, fans are fickle and some blinkered but a great many have watched just as much footie as wenger and are not stupid, they see what he see’s and are entitled to say what they think, we do not know better than him in many instances but we know who is pulling thier weight and we can see where we need strengthening and suggestions when not overboard are usually not far off the mark. AW allowed the invincibles to b sold off and didnt replace like for like quality wise and thats def his fault and on 7mil a year he is most def accountable or bloody well should be…!
Wenger has a real challenge on his hands with transfers. We’re talking about defensive replacements, but really he has multiple problems:
1) Add one or two defenders
2) Add direct replacements for key players leaving
3) Add attacking players to fix our definite problems in attack
On that front, he has to out-bid clubs that have undeniably more money than us. He also has to ensure that the players want to come to a club that hasn’t won anything for 6 years. And on top of that he has to ensure that the individual players will fit in with the club and be able to work with the setup that’s here and complement the team.
This is truly a tricky summer, and the delay in transfers is reflecting that. I’m wishing Wenger all the luck, cause he’s going to have to bring his A-game to the table. This is his moment to shine.
Up front, all we need is a greedy, striker who can get 20-25 league goals a season and actually last the season.
It is central defence and midfield we have the most issues with.
It’s not that simple. Have a look at how few genuine chances we created and consider that Henry at his prime was the best in the league and converted only 45%.
We have a genuine problem against packed defences, and unless we address this problem, all the defensive signings in the world are not going to win us the title.
I’m pleased to see us being linked with players with genuine pace and direct attacking threat in Gervinho and Mata. Still, the deals have to be signed.
I have to disagree, check how many chances we make most games, it is easily in the last teens early twenties, if we convert even just a quarter of the chances we make, we would batter most teams, most weeks.
and another goalkeeper…
from http://www.eurosport.com by Alex Chick
Cesc should show Arsenal some respect
“If a player is on the market it is because the club does not want him.”
So said Cesc Fabregas yesterday when asked about his impending move from Arsenal to Barcelona.
“The club does not want him.” Really?
It was a pretty low blow, thwacked into the breadbasket of a team that have spent years repelling Barca’s aggressive pursuit of Fabregas.
They did everything in their power to keep him happy, including ill-advisedly appointing him as captain – a decision that inadvertently shifted the focus from his exceptional play to his unexceptional leadership skills.
Now, after several summers of fighting, Arsenal have decided they cannot resist any more, and will take £35 million for their star man.
Although he has been essentially loyal to Arsenal, Fabregas has hardly made a secret of his desire to return to Catalonia.
So to reverse the situation and pretend that the move is the product of Arsenal’s will, rather than his and Barcelona’s, is cynical in the extreme.
In mitigation, the quotes were not rehearsed – they came out of an unseemly media scrum, which you can see here. Given time to reflect, he might have chosen different words.
But still, he should know better than to aim such a slur at the club and the fans who helped make him the player he is.
There’s every chance he will say his words were twisted or taken out of context and that he has nothing but respect for Arsenal.
Earlier this year, he angrily claimed he had been misquoted by magazine Don Balon when he said that in Spain, Arsene Wenger would have been sacked for his trophy drought.
Then Don Balon published the full interview transcript, showing Fabregas said exactly what was in the quotes, leaving Arsenal to chunter plaintively about copy approval – a separate issue entirely.
Incidentally, another contentious Fabregas comment from that interview was echoed almost exactly by Wenger in a letter to a fan published this week.
Fabregas told Don Balon: “For me it’s a lack of a winning mentality, also of maturity in key moments. We have plenty of quality but lack this bit of confidence.”
Wenger wrote to the fan: “We could not cope with … the pressure in the important moments of the season. I felt they lost confidence and you can see there has not been the same sharpness on the mental front.” Snap…
Fabregas should be leaving Arsenal with gratitude, not bitterness. The only reason he is going back to Barcelona is because he left.
When Fabregas departed the Camp Nou in 2003, aged 16, Barca’s midfield featured Xavi, Iniesta, Davids, Cocu, Thiago Motta and Gerard.
A pretty crowded squad, and one which gave young Cesc no chance of establishing himself in the first team, which he did after just a year at Highbury.
Of course Fabregas has tremendous ability, and that comes in part from his schooling as a kid at Barca’s La Masia academy.
But would he have come as far, as fast, without Arsene Wenger’s unshakeable faith in the teenage Fabregas? I don’t think so.
Arsenal have been portrayed in some circles as cradle-snatchers, pinching young players from rival academies and profiting from the work of others.
Yet had he never moved to North London, Fabregas would not be the player he is today.
In addition to the first-team football, a spell in England improves players who already have the wonderful technical grounding afforded them by Spanish youth academies.
Like Xabi Alonso, Fabregas has been made tougher, stronger and quicker by his time in England. Fashionable as it may be to knock its harum scarum style, playing in a Premier League midfield does wonders for a player’s quick decision-making – and Fabregas is one of the best.
There is nothing wrong with Fabregas leaving Arsenal for Barcelona – if he wants to move clubs, fine.
Barca will get a great player, Arsenal will get a big wodge of cash, and Fabregas will get to play for his favourite team. No problems.
But the least Fabregas can do is to be up front about his motives, and treat Arsenal with respect instead of suggesting he has been forced out.
I Just read that Barcelona will confirm the transfers of fabregas and sanchez tomorrow…
Evening guys and gals…
ADK, where did you read that please??
Hi cico
I read it at a Bosnian sports site, who are quoting from a Spanish one called One FM. One FM are also saying that Barcelona have upped their offer from 30 to 35 million Euros and that is apparently enough to satisfy Arsenal. I will be furious if this is true..
lol i meant rico
Hi ADK, I wouldn’t trust that story, I’m sure if he had been sold the club would have broken the news first..
I read they had upped their offer to £35 Million rather than Euros…
When are the squad back for pre-season training, must be soon??
Don’t you worry ADK 😉 cico 🙂
My phone obviously likes cico better than rico 😉
But i hope You’re right cico 😉
Nasri to Citeh for 20mil and 180K a week………….. That should satisfy his wage demands…!
wenger gave an interview abot the asia tour did he say anything about transfers?pls tell
😆 Adk
WATH, are Citeh in for him now??
So that ‘could’ be
Nasri
Clichy
Fabregas
Jeez – that is a whole lot of money for Wenger to go get better players with, it’s looking good then….
I had hoped Nasri was better than a money man, i guess we’ll soon find out how much he loves our club – maybe the thought of living up north in the cold and damp weather will make him sign on the dotted line 😉
Wenger says:
England has the toughest league in the world, and some teams have more money than us. We must accept that and do what we can.
We do things the way everyone else should a healthy balance between revenue and expenses. I think we ought to be regarded as a good example, but we do not always sound it.
Wenger has lost it.he claimed at the end of the season that we’ll be in the market ‘early’.yesterday he said we’ll be active ‘late’ july.next he’ll tell us he won’t sleep on deadline day.we are on the verge of losing 3 first 11 players which will peg us back 3 years at the very least no matter who we sign.i’ve lost faith completely in the man…be in the market ‘early’.yesterday he said we’ll be active ‘late’ july.next he’ll tell us he won’t sleep on deadline day.we are on the verge of losing 3 first 11 players which will peg us back 3 years at the very least no matter who we sign.i’ve lost faith completely in the man…
wenger has lost it now …losing nasri and clichy plus we must give them bendtner and denilson if they want take them….
afternoon rico…reading the news, you would think that arsenal fc is on the verge of ceasing to exist. talk is cheap, speculation even cheaper. even these reports indicate city are “preparing” bids for these players. so nothing has happened yet, no credible source has even confirmed concerete interest on city’s part…
if city – or anyone else – do actually submit bids, then we’ll see what happens.
nas and his agent are in the phase where they are considering options. increased speculation of interest from other clubs strengthens their hand in any contract discussions with arsenal. as an arsenal supporter, i cannot say that i like it; but i also understand this is a business and that nasri and his agent are going to try and get the best deal for them. just as arsenal – in any negotiations – are going to try and get the best deal for the club.
at the end of the day, nas and his agent will either extend here, or they won’t. if they overplay their hand, he will most likely start the season in a different kit. similarly, if afc overplay our hand, the same result is likely. but at the moment, nothing is happened…
haven’t lost anyone yet, as far as i know. just fc barcelona’s confirmed interest in cesc, a likely credible acknoweledgment from a highly-placed afc source that the club may sell cesc if a bid meeting the club’s valuation comes in.
otherwise? nothing…just a lot of speculation, supposition, and agenda-driven agent or club-planted stories.
This window is making me feel siiiiccckkk!we are now officially a 2nd tier European side.we are the modern day Ajax with them picking off our best talents.to get back there will be very difficult especially with wenger in charge.
Hi oliver, it’s quite funny really isn’t it 😉
Im staggered by how loyal rvp is.if he hinted of being unhappy all of Europe’s top clubs would queue to try to sign him.if we sell cesc and nasri why would the likes of Benzema join us?we are a sinking ship…
Wenger out.
hi rico…not sure if it funny or sad. but one thing i will say is that it is not personal, only business. nas is an om man – if he could leave them for arsenal, then he could certainly leave us…
i almost hate to say this, but the days of players really wanting to be one-club men – with a few exceptions – are pretty much over. it’s too much of a business nowadays…
I’d much rather Clichy went to PSG they were gonna offer 13mil lol
As said Oliver merely speculation at the moment BUT least going to Citeh we get decent money…! 60million plus to our warchest..!
Means wenger will spend 15 max if we lucky 😀
k, nobody has left arsenal fc yet. i concede a cesc transfer is more likely than not this summer, and perhaps i will also concede that the club may not break its collective back to keep clichy onboard. but that does not automatically mean anyone will leave. there is still plenty to play out before these stories are written…
i have had a re-think kt but that is for tomorrow….
Won’t be any loyalty Oliver when a club can pay players 180k a week…! that buys an awful lot of loyalty all of a sudden !!
i think its funny oliver, no-one has gone yet, its all paper talk 😉
wath, the money is actually not that big of a deal for me. if nas and his agent decide that they will not agree a new deal with arsenal, fine…that is their right. i would hope in these circumstances, however, that arsenal sell to either manchester club just because of the money on offer (and the speculated 20 million is not that much). move him out of the premiership. don’t sell him to one of our top four rivals. to me, that is more important than getting a huge fee for him.
hopefully its a rumour ,clichy and nasri have the same agent……..
Spot on WATH, money has destroyed the game…..
but still a important point is it took manchester city 1 hour to know the world that they want some one and they can who knows maybe now but we are taking 6 months to make a signing…..
rico, we should be used to it by now. the past few summers have been like this, widespread speculation regarding our players leaving – one in particular…
i suspect that increased speculation over the interest in nas has been fueled by his agent, as a negotiating ploy…they are going to try and get the best deal they can, with whomever…that’s to be expected.
There is definitely something going on behind the curtains oliver and none is positive.so much for triple megasigning announcement tomorrow…
but still a important point is it took manchester city 1 hour to know the world that they want some one and they can, who knows maybe now they can sign him up but we are taking 2 months to make a signing…..
did a credible source with manchester city actually confirm they are interested/will submit a bid for nas? i don’t think so…i think one media outlet (sky?) ran with what may be an agent-planted story, and others picked up on it…i suspect its a lot of circular reporting.
Remember the days of anxiously watching villa leading 1 nil while hoping the opposition equalize?…that will happen again next season with pool/spuds.
oliver – the only player that I personally feel is a goner is Cesc, the other two I couldn’t give two hoots about…., if they don’t want to play for us, they can go too – I honestly don’t care…
rico, i’ll agree there. i think the club will accept less than what they should for cesc and this will be wrapped up in another couple of weeks. mind you, barcelona can still overplay their hand – and i wouldn’t put it past them – by submitting another derisory offer. if they do that, all bets will be off and there will be no deal. but i expect they already know what it will take to complete this transfer and they will get it done.
we’ll see, as far as the others go. i have a gut feeling that if cesc is sold, the chances of nas staying will improve. clichy has been so quiet on this, its difficult to guess what will entice him to stay…
oliver – no…..
Kt, i bet it doesn’t 😉
Have we lost any of the players yet?
No Will….
We have lost players will.
No Kt, we have not, not until it’s in black and white….
So let’s stop the slagging of the players.
The only one I am furious with right now Will is Cesc…..
According to the BBc, City and AFC are in talks about Clichy…..
It matters not who leaves, what matters is who is brought IN……!
I meant Randall rico/will.
If BBC are reporting it then its probably true.
Kt, the players who have gone are not not significant ….
WATH, agree, i no longer care who leaves, i just want wenger to sign what we need to make us stronger..
Cahill
Samba
Ricky
Gervinho
would all be good starters, then go and get Drogba and Essien 😉
The BBc are as bad as the rest…..
Now the “guardian” is saying Citeh hope to wrap up the clichy deal but have denied making a bit for Nasri……..! It’s laughable really..!
Its all good fun WATH, and i’m actually finding it pretty funny 😆 😆
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is content to play the waiting game, despite reports gathering pace that Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy could all be set for exits.
Unlike they did 12 months ago, the Gunners have not as yet issued any public statement despite Barcelona once again stepping up their pursuit of Spain international Fabregas.
The player himself also has been careful over his recent statements, on Wednesday refusing to rule anything out or in, simply saying he was “calm” over the whole situation.
The European champions are expected to improve their £27 million offer, and while that is still likely to be undervaluing the Gunners’ captain, a deal is anticipated to be agreed.
Arsenal will not be held to ransom by Nasri and Clichy, who are both out of contract at the end of next season, over demands for inflated wages, with free-spending Manchester City now unsurprisingly a likely destination for both.
Wenger is due to gather his first-team squad together next week ahead of a tour to Malaysia and China. The Arsenal manager continues to give little away as to which players will be part of the group when they jet off in ten days’ time.
“We are in a waiting period, everybody is waiting that the other [club] moves,” Wenger said in an interview with Alsace TV.
“Everybody has their cards in [their] hands, hoping for the big transfer.
“There is nothing moving yet. The period will me more active at the end of July when we will need to really strengthen the team.”
By then, though, Arsenal fans will be demanding more additions following the expected departures.
Defence is an area Wenger has singled out as in need of improvement, with Bolton centre-back Gary Cahill emerging as the preferred candidate, although whether the Gunners will match his £17 million price tag remains to be seen.
It is, though, not only key men like Fabregas who look set to leave – with the likes of Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner now surplus to requirements especially with Arsenal’s pursuit of £10 million-rated Ivory Coast forward Gervinho, Lille stalling in hope of an improved offer.
Argentina youngster Ricardo Alvarez says it would be a “dream” for him to move to Arsenal, but the agent of Brazilian midfielder Denilson claims interest from AC Milan is unfounded, and as such the player will report back for pre-season next week.
Wenger continues to argue his squad simply lacked the stamina, rather than quality to get over the line as they battled for so long on all fronts last season.
The Arsenal manager, though, knows after another season which promised so much but failed to deliver following a cataclysmic collapse after defeat in the Carling Cup final, the focus will be on just how Arsenal can respond, with title rivals already active in the transfer market.
“There is always pressure, England is the hardest championship in the world, some teams have more money than us. We have to accept it and do the maximum,” he said.
“We decided to respect some rules in our club, especially on the financial side in an environment that does not respect that.
“We respect [the] quality of the game and human quality too. It means it is harder for us when you respect these three topics.
“We live exactly in the way everybody should, with a balance between revenues and expenses.
“We have been very constant for many years now. We should be seen as an example and it is often not the case.”
the media are quite something…. the sky news reporter outside citeh going on and on abt Nasri to sign etc etc…… bla bla bla…!
Yawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwnn nnnnnnnnn
Re Nasri, Clichy and Fabregas…..
And Sky Sports 😉
Evening all,
Just switched on and never realised rico had posted this, having a lot of trouble with my putor.Thanks to everyone for filling in. anything happened thats worth talking about.
Will…
AW never says anything……. lets just all wait, wait and see what unfolds….
Hi Steve
No worries, i should have told you but… your email is playing naughty tricks on my gmail account 🙁
Its taking me a month of sundays just to add a comment so will be back when i get it sorted Thanks again rico
Steve, it’s no probs, thanks to you too 🙂
I have stopped watching SSN for their obvious hatred towards all things Arsenal.
Why has it taken you so long Will 😉
I really wanted to think I am just biased and seeing things that are not there but it is their bias that is shocking. I have no idea why but for some reason, they honestly hate us.
Rosicky wants Arsenal stay…he really is a fantastic player but his form deserted him.if he isn’t sold and maybe if he has a decent preseason he may not be finished yet.
Like I said Will….. 😉
I’m done for the day guys, i’ll catch you all tomorrow…
Be good and stop reading NewsNow 😉 😉
Night all….
I’m still waiting… but nothing is changing in my mind (unfortunatelly)
Nothing much is changing anywhere JM…. we still waiting allround..! It’s so boring…!
hi guys,
Wenger must be disappointed at the trio but i am sure we will come out better in all this.Wenger never keeps any player that doesn’t want to stay.
Have you seen the new jersey advert? That is the new generation of Arsenal.
They are very worryingly young, God help us
Morning all…
New Post up