Morning all.
You may have seen that Citroen advert, I thought it was great. Good to see a bit of fun with Arsenal players involved.
More fun is the transfer gossip from todays newspapers:
In The Express:
Ollie will be sold and Karim Benzema will be his replacement!
Wenger also has an eye on Leicester’s £5 million rated Jeffrey Schlupp.
The Mirror:
Arsenal are eyeing up Villarreal striker Gerard Moreno for cut-price £3million transfer. Arsenal scouts have been watching the 23-year-old, who has scored 16 times for his Spanish club this season.
Villarreal are keen to tie down Moreno to a new contract as he has only a year left on his current deal and there is a £3 million buy-out clause.
Arsenal have yet to make a move, but Moreno is on their radar as being cheap and showing big potential.
Where do they get it from?
Serious stuff going on with FIFA – six executives have been arrested for corruption/bribery offences. Could be interesting to see how that pans out. Big wig Blatter seems to have fallen under the Swiss Police radar at the moment. They’ll no doubt be a lot more to come from this over the next few days/weeks.
Her’s todays post from Kev:
With the FA Cup Final now just days away, there will without doubt be an awful lot of speculation, discussion and opinion voiced by many and probably the majority of Gooners about the make up of Arsene Wengers starting eleven.
Will Wenger go for the experience of Debuchy over Bellerin?
Will Oxlade-Chamberlain get a start?
Will Arsene persist with Ramsey on the right of midfield?
Or will Ramsey move central with Wilshere out wide?
Where would that leave Cazorla?
Will Walcott get a start instead of Ollie? Welbeck is ruled out so the choice is limited.
Who will be in goal?
Will Rosicky, Arteta or even Diaby be in the squad?
It’s all good knockabout stuff and it’ll fill up the newspapers for a few days and give us fans something to debate.
Then there’s Aston Villa and their line-up and tactics and how will Arsene combat Tim ‘Gooner’ Sherwood?
Agbonlahor has always been a thorn in Arsenals side. He has a good record against us and needs to be watched.
Benteke has hit form at just the right time, scoring goals at will and is very powerful in the air and that’s an area of concern for us recently.
Grealish has emerged as one of the most interesting young English or Irish players around this season. He also plays on the left of Villas attack, another area that has been a concern to Arsenal recently and where we struggled against Man Utd and Swansea. Then there is Delph, another player doing well right now.
I’m sure that there’s a lot more questions that HH’ers can think of.
But for me, it’s going to be business as usual and the team which Wenger has been playing for most of the last two months.
Wenger might be a lot of things, but he is certainly not a risk taker, well not usually, 8-2 at OT and all that jazz not withstanding but that’s a long time ago.
He’s had ample time to experiment and rotate yet has only really done that since we lost to Swansea and even then, not by much.
Fatigue, loss of form and a few niggling injuries really forced his hand in the last two matches so if everyone is fit, I think he’ll stick with the team that got us into the CL.
The biggest question for me is who will start in goal?
Szczesny, if his policy of a cup goalkeeper from last season is maintained but I have a feeling he’s going to stick with Ospina…
Other than that, who will the 7 substitutes be and with Wenger potentially having twelve players to choose from for a place on the bench, there’s going be a few disgruntled squad members come Saturday evening…
Well, what do you think?
Finally, well done to Alexis Sanchez who yesterday won the PFA Player of the Season award yesterday.
Written by Allezkev.
Morning again.
That’ll set the chaps gossiping Kev! What a good place we’re in though where we have choices, viable choices for all positions. We’ve come a long way in 12 months or so, and long may it continue.
More urgently, perhaps, I’m sitting here listening to FIFA fudging their position concerning this morning’s arrests. Essentially they are saying that THEY initiated the investigation vis a vis corrupt bribes and payments etc…as if! But they know nothing about the Russia and Qatar bids and the bribes etc that were clearly at the bottom of the countries successful bids.
In my view they are in the soft and smelly and Blatter as the President during most of the investigated period HAS to be involved, either directly or by association. A gentleman would resign, forthwith.
Lastly, if the Election goes ahead on Friday there should be an immediate vote of no confidence in FIFA and UEFA should sever all ties with the governing body immediately, otherwise they too will be seen as condoning what is clearly a dysfunctional and broken organisation.
More to come later I suspect.
Morning all.
Morning again all.
Good post Kev, food for thought..
Ospina for me too, Theo up front, Debuchy right back with Bellerin in front of him. 🙂
Wavy, Blatter is no gent…. All the time he is seen to be clean, he’ll hang on imo…
Sorry to disagree Rico, but I think Wenger will send out his strongest team, as he sees it. Debuchy will be on the old sub bench along with Gibbs and Gabriel. The only question marks hang over Ospina and Giroud. Theo may well start and Chesney Hawkes may start too. His swan song perhaps.
One thing is certain though, Wenger wants to win this game and he will ensure that the side he sends out will not have any ‘second teamers’ in it, at the start of play. Loyalty only stretches so far!
SACK BLATTER. NOW!
BLATTER OUT…..YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE.
Szczesny will start, as will Giroud and Bellerin, IMO.
I know Wavy, but think how that would sure up our right hand side…
was just thinking outside the box really but I think deep down that Kev is right, the 11 who have got us 3rd, will start. Barring Szczesny…
Funny thing is though Scott, I don’t think Giroud has started many FA Cup matches…
I think Theo should start, his pace and movement in the box would possibly suit us better and help to keep Villa’s defence back as they’ll be concerned about Theo, especially after last weekend..
Maybe, Rico, but Giroud has done nothing to lose his first team spot, IMO…..I think he was rested on the weekend.
Hey, i’d rather go 2 up front and play them both 🙂
Theo showed what he’s capable of….damn I hope he can do that consistently from now on.
Apart from not score for a while Scott… 😉
2 up front, ha ha, not with AW unless we are ten mins to go and losing….
When did Theo last score before the weekend 🙂 🙂
I know Arsene won’t go two up front, but we’ve always looked terrific when he does.
Only as good as your last game Scott… 😉
But when did Theo last play CF? lol
Rico, on all fairness, he had a stint a season or two back and did stuff all.
I truly hope this was not a one off.
He looked a poacher and very, very sharp, so long may it continue.
I wouldn’t be upset if he starts, but I just think Giroud will.
I know Scott but I he looks strong now and last weekend he kind of looked more up for things and didn’t get brushed off the ball so easily. Yes, early days and can’t judge him after just one game but like you, I hope its the start of good things from him.
Would hate to see him join the Dippers and perform like that against us….
I suspect Giroud will but hoping Walcott gets the nod…
Rico, I’ve criticised him, but that performance was sensational.
If he produces that effort…..and I do mean effort, not just the performance….regularly, we don’t need another striker.
Fingers crossed.
It was too good for Wenger not to notice, obviously, so he’s at least played himself into contention.
I happen to agree re the striker view Scott but annoyingly, his performance has come at the wrong time. We and he needed that to happen, and further similar performances to follow, a few weeks ago.
If AW doesn’t sign a striker and TW stays and goes back to his old ways, the manager could take one heck of a bashing.
Yep, and Theo has often had a shocking sense of timing lol.
If Wenger sells him and he succeeds elsewhere, he’s wrong.
If he keeps him and Theo cops a long term injury, his fault again.
Maybe he should keep him, sell Podolski and Yaya….to Lees dismay….and buy one anyway.
That’s the safe option.
Sorry Lee 🙂
Then again – that performance may have come at just the right time for Arsene Wenger… 😉
A thought provoking post. Nice on Kev.
Afternoon all…
Hard to say lol
Afternoon Sirs and ma, its been a long while I have been here and while the website was going through a lot of change it did give me a hard time posting till I figured it out today. Kev lovely post and I am just going to enjoy our victory and let Arsene worry about the line up, Rico what are the reporters in the UK smoking?Schlupp??? Moreno?? Definitely a no no, been reading daily and I must say nice job you are doing here
For an excuse not to buy Scott.. 😉
Good to see you back Luznic – glad the problems all sorted..
Not sure what they are smoking but it gives us something to laugh about each day and I’m sure there’s more to come… lol
Makes for a good laugh really, Vidal and Jackson joining for me I don’t see the possibilities also
great post kev… decisions decisions eh? who plays who’s benched, who misses out? for me Szcz will start as he is the cup GK after that imo i would play bellerin, merts, kos, monreal,… Le coq, ramsey, walcott, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud.
for me cazorla would be on the bench his form hasn’t been to good of late.
Thanks Luznic, Ginge & Wavy…
Bellerin and Debuchy together, isn’t a bad idea Rico.
Cheers Kel…
Vidal, Schneiderlin, Benzema, Higuain, Cech….
Is it season-ticket renewal time? 😉
hey long time Luznic…
Kel, Gibbs has been our left back in the Cup so it could be he starts although I hope it’s Monreal..
In fact I hope all that AW has done in the past when it comes to the Cup goes out the window and he plays a side which can nullify Villa’s strengths and exploit their weaknesses…
But we know AW wouldn’t do that Kev… Sadly.
Despite Qatar’s promises to improve conditions, Nepalese migrants have died at a rate of one every two days in 2014. no change in 2015 either…
” Is it season-ticket renewal time? ” too cynical Kev. 🙂
Off for a couple of hours, catch up later..
good afternoon Lovelies and Hunkies.
nice post Kev. different than the last one your wrote. I enjoyed reading it.
that is a good idea…..Debuchy behind Bellerin. solid at the back and speed up front. having said that I do feel that Theo should begin again ahead of Giroud. it is essential that we have lots of speed up front. Then give them something to worry about by putting in Ollie after Theo has tired them out
imo the team should begin the game like this……
Ospina
Bellerin, Per, Kos, Gibbs
Coquelin
Jack, Cazorla, Ozil,Alexis
Theo
Then around the 55th minute put in Ollie for Jack and Theo goes on the right.
Around the 65th minute take Theo off and put in Aaron.
Afternoon all
Seems as if Schlupp is going to be available.
He can play LB, LDM, LAM, and L sided striker.
At 5million he is an AW signing.
Afternoon all, have we signed anyone yet…?
The window not open yet
But is he any good Devil?
Hasn’t stopped Utd Mg…
Schlupp represents Ghana so no chance AW will sign him…. Lol
Kev you old wordsmith you!
That link you posted this morning Lee was good…
Cheers Lee, you old botanist you. 😀
Hello all,
Hopefully Merts won’t have his dancing shoe’s on come the game lol.
He must be due a goal, just the one this season, for such a lanky lump he should be getting on the end of more !
Didn’t Pulis say he rolled his eyes when he saw Theo on the team sheet Sunday, think Sherwood will be hoping he doesn’t start either, only Arsene knows !
Evening Rico, Micko and all.
Evening Micko & Adam.
Merts a goal? Which end?
Micko’s obviously gone to the pub.
Kev’s obviously not on a rank somewhere.
Adam only says good morning and good evening these days.. Lol
No one else is around so I’m off too…..
Night all….
Adam, kev, it might have to be a Milk Tray jobbie to wriggle out of this one.
Nite rico, mutley was giving me the eye, you know the score !
Mick, All because the Lady Loves……..
Milk Tray?
Nah, Cava 😛
Night all.
Night All
Bobby P back at home!
http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2015/05/27/photos-wengers-brilliant-move-as-robert-pires-joins-arsenal-trai/page/1/
Morning All,
Enjoyed the post., Kiev.
However, Giroud and Welbeck out adds so much humour to it.
Not while Arsenal is still managed by Wenger! He won’t sell or side line Giroud neither is he going to dream of offloading a home-grown bundle of energy, who is currently the Three Lions’ most potent striker.
And I strongly believe Walcott and Giroud will start in a 4-3-3 attack-minded set up with Sánchez making up the front arsenal. Carzola is my worry. I’d play him ahead of Ozil but Wenger won’t. Le Coq, Ramsey look good but Walcott must start… so who between Ramsey and Carzola hugs the bench?
Kev
Morning Tai, Kev, Rico et al
Someone on here has to star as Blatter in movie version of this FIFA conspiracy… lol
I think Goonie – as Blatter
Wath as Jaoa Havalaugh
Micko as Ginola
The director will be Tai
Morning to you all, what a beautiful sunny morning it is here in the south east too…
Robert Pires….
Sign him up Arsene, player/coach…
Morning All
Morning Rico
Morning and thank Tai….
Kiev…. 😀
Morning Lee
Morning Kev, I’m all for that….
Morning Ginge…
The whole FIFA circus is so boring, I really don’t give a shit.
It’s the tip of an iceberg of corruption that extends to all levels of football administration….
Just look at the ticket allocation for the FA Cup. It has been thus since my Dad queued up outside Highbury in 1950 and 1952 and got fcuked off both times for a ticket, despite going to 4 semi-finals at WHL vs Chelsea in those years…
The FA know, they’ve know since before the First World War and they’ve done nothing about it.
Because they don’t give a shit about the fans.
Never have, never will..!
Mind you, Arsenal are not whiter than white either…
Why won’t they tell the fans how they distribute their own allocation?
How many tickets go to Directors?
How many tickets go to sponsors?
How many tickets go to the playing/coaching staff?
How many go to club employees?
How’s many tickets go to friends, family and business associates to any of the above?
I reckon if the fans get 22,500 of the 25,000 tickets, then we’ve done well…
Chewing crayons lol
New post up now
Just watched it too Kev, bloody hilarious!