You have to feel a bit sorry for Arsene Wenger really, having just lost 2-0 to Manchester City in China the press after the game didn’t really want to talk about what was a much better display from Arsenal. Despite the loss there were many positives to take from the game.
Of course their were a few negatives too, but those just need addressing not moaning about.
Not just yet anyway!
As Wenger faced the media, only one thing was on their mind and yes, that was Robin van Persie. Whether that was down to us having played Manchester City, the side heavily tipped to win the race to sign our captain, or not I don’t know but they were itching to ask about the Dutchman.
Wenger wanted to talk football, the previous 90 minutes to be more accurate but no, Robin van Persie was the main topic.
The Van Persie case doesn’t cross my mind. We have had no offers. He is close to fitness, of course, but we have not had any contact (from City or United) about him at all.
We will not come back forever on Van Persie, We have many strikers at home. Van Persie is one of them, but we also have Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud.
For now, we must prepare for the season and it is about more than one player.
So, that was all made pretty clear wasn’t it and of course, Arsene is right, Arsenal are not about just one player, they never have been and never will be and he has a season to prepare for.
But no, it seems it wasn’t clear.
Wenger was then asked to clarify the Van Persie situation after it was reported last week that City, United and Juventus had all lodged bids for the player and that was one question too many on what has become a very boring subject!
Wenger snapped, and I’m not surprised!
We have talked about Van Persie. We have just played a football game tonight, there are four English people here and there have been four questions about Van Persie.
I have talked about that, I am not talking about that question anymore. Do you understand? If you understand and respect what I said, then why do you ask me again?
Arsenal have made their offer and RvP has turned it down. What more can Wenger say or do other than concentrate on the players who do want to be with us and any that want to join us this summer. If another club really want to sign him then let them put their money where their mouth is and in the meantime, may the gutter media get off of Wenger’s case!
Another question they wanted answering related to the rumour that broke yesterday afternoon relating to us being close to sealing a deal for Real Madrid’s Turkish midfielder Nuri Sahin.
He said categorically:
We haven’t signed anybody, this report is wrong. We are not signing anybody at the moment and we are not close.
Sorry Arsene, I don’t believe you…. 😉
That’s it for today, have a good one.
Don’t worry about yesterdays result, we’ll get our own back, but when it really matters!
Its not only about Rvp,i just hope we make the necessary signings
Morning all,
I have an all day party to get ready for so not around much today…
Have a good day all and catch up later..
Hey Rico and all highburians,
I didnt catch the match last night. But heard it was exciting. Can someone elobarately describe performances of diaby, tomas and chuks! Heard MA is out of touch. Is it true?
sports reporters are up there with bankers
Morning Rico. I know you should never feel sorry for a man earning £7 million a year but I do get Arsene’s frustrations. Once again a player who has shown zero loyalty and a distinct lack of class is leading the agenda and this, of course, has played directly into the hands of the press who are completely disinterested in Arsenal’s tour from a footballing point of view. All they want to talk about is van Persie. Even Mankini can’t keep his trap shut about it and is pouting and blubbing to anyone who is interested about how badly he is being treated by those who are already running something like a £400 million deficit on a bunch of mercenaries thereby further contributing to the gradual demise of football. What is in it exactly for The Sheikh Of Manchester? I have often wondered this. Is he so divorced from any real-world sense of reality that he thinks there is any message to be taken from City’s flukey PL championship last year other than English football is up for grabs to the highest bidder? Does he enjoy the glory of a great victory against clubs with no financial ability to compete, like a boxer crushing an opponent sitting in a wheelchair?
What if Arsenal had scored those two goals yesterday and been outplayed as City were for most of the game and almost all of the second half? Would the press be emphasizing the “Gulf in class” as so many seem to? No, they would take the opposite view. Arsenal would be “lucky” that the City strikers had an off-day and there would be dire warnings for Arsenal that their frailties would be exposed in the coming season. Exactly the same in fact, so win or lose it wouldn’t matter really. That said, I do sense a belligerence in Wenger that I am afraid might herald one of his famous stubborn periods. I look at the team and again I see the core of something interesting but then I see Chamakh and a few others and think that, if they want Cazorla and M’Vila then just spend the bloody money and buy them. If you insist on asking top dollar for your players them don’t be outraged if other clubs do the same. It seems like, apart from the usual clubs, there isn’t much money about for transfers so Arsenal may have to bite quite a few bullets to clear the decks on players that I hope Wenger realizes, we’re never good enough in the first place.
Good Morning Fine Folk.
AW was very civil in what he did. I would have bashed their faces.
Had a good morning. The little prince and I did a couple of paper aeroplanes and we ended up seeing who had the best throw.
Morning fellow Gooners.
I agree with you guys on Wenger actually showing restraint…..what is the delight these journo dickheads get in repeating the same question endlessly??
Possibly,you must be a complete moron to become a journo,incapable of having a plan B in mind.
Wankers,the lot of them,and it doesn’t matter which country you’re in.
Anyway,I know plenty call Wenger a liar,but who can blame him for telling porkies about possible targets?
As soon as we are in for a player,every second club in the league jumps on the bandwagon!
Why would you advertise your interest??
On Cazorla,the scenario is strikingly similar to Podolski,in my opinion…let’s hope we get a similar result,as there’s one thing I’m positive about,the guy wants to leave Malaga.
Devil,how’s the holiday?
We are still in full swing here,and the kids had a terrific win today.
I honestly wish I’d had video footage of one goal the little bugger scored….I reckon even the hardest markers would be impressed.
I’m looking for his real dad,because there’s no way he gets it from me 🙂
@ Adam…well said! So sick of the negativity surrounding every Arsenal move. Does it mean that there is a gulf between Red Bulls and Chelsea then? Don’t see the press hammering Chelsea for their loss – they just said that they had a good work out which was the priority. Arsenal did outplay City for long periods and as a training exercise it was money in the bank. Wish they would find another hate target as the witch hunt that has followed us in the last 4 years appears to be gathering pace once again.
An idiots opinions isn’t worth listening to.
Journos fall under that banner.
I keep reading we’ve made an offer of €23 million for Cazorla.
Hello all, AOC was very impressive yesterday. Cazorla would be a nice buy, but M’vila really should be the main target.
And why are we continuing with the high line at the back? So frustrating!
its a slowday in the house. Everyone watching olympics or wt?
Considering how anti-Arsenal the Press traditionally are, the two rags I read today, Mail/Express, were quite upbeat about AFC’s performance.
It seems that all we lacked was a cutting edge.
AOC hit both posts, Santos/Walcott, should have scored.
It reminded me of our League Cup defeat at TheGrove last season. When Arsenal were far superior, but Aguerro scored from his lnly chance & we lost 0-1.
Later in season, in a more important game, and with a full-strength team, we beat them 1-0…
You only have to look zt the changes Wenger made in the game, to appreciate the importance he placed on the result.
Anyone who freaks out kver us losing that game, needs a reality check.
It is, what it is, an exercise in preparation, conditioning and fitness…
Good Morning all and to you Rico.
According to this morning’s AS, Arsenal have made an official bid for Santi Cazorla, presenting a deal to Malaga worth €23m.
Although the Spanish side have, in the short term, sorted out some of the financial issues that have been widely reported, Diaro Sur, a local news outlet, reports that further investment is critically needed to prevent meltdown.
Arsenal’s bid covers what Malaga paid Villarreal for Cazorla last summer and enough to cover some outstanding VAT payments. Whether this is enough to persuade them to sell remains to be seen. The AS report says that Malaga’s initial response to the Arsenal bid was to point to his €45m release clause but with the club still in financial disarray they may be forced to let him leave for a price well below that.
Cazorla and his agent met with Malaga yesterday, he’s remained at home while the team tours Venezuela, and according to accounts has expressed his desire to play for Arsenal.
Whether Malaga’s reluctance to sell has prompted the reported interest in Real Madrid’s Nuri Sahin remains to be seen, but having made an official offer it looks as if things are moving to a Cazorla conclusion, one way or the other.
The rumoured interest in Sahin, could well be a pointed message to Malaga.
That’s our offer, take it, or spin, as we have alternatives.
Malaga’s bank manager might have the final say..?
As for Robin Van Persie, and the obsession that the Press have in anything that can be twisted into a negative concerning the Gunners…
Well fellas it has been forever thus.
Adam puts his usual personal touch on the Press’s behaviour, as only he can.
We should, all be hardened to their duplicity, they are, in general, haters of all things Arsenal.
Nothing they say, write or spin, suprises me in the slightest.
I expect nothing less from ‘that’ bunch of under-educated, alcoholics.
In fact, a good & fair report on Arsenal is such a suprise and a rarity, that we often remark on it and discuss it.
The majority of Fleet Streets output, is worthy of being torn into strips, with a piece of string through it and hung in the toilet, for the use of……..
Gotta say, that I never had any strong feelings one way or the other, concerning Mancini/Mankini.
But Adam has pinpointed some truely irritating behavioural
traits from that pompous, preening, Italian pillock, that are beginning to get under my skin as well.
Well done Adam…. 😉
And what is the biggest show in Town…..?!
Is it that bloated sports jamboree in Stratford???
Nah… It’s,
Stevenage Borough vs Arsenal XI….. 😀
Wish I was there… 🙁
who cares about the result RvP and other transfers, real or rumour are more interesting than a demonstration game in China of all places. That’s as boring as the Olympic games
Kev. You are more than welcome mate. If Mankini just once came out and acknowledged how very lucky he is instead of insisting that everything about Man City and their spending is normal and trying to big himself up as if he were competing with other clubs on a level playing field. If he had stuck to his word over Tevez’s refusal to play for him and then Balotelli’s violence at The Emirates last year then I might, just might, have a bit of respect for him. But then I think back to his comments after we beat them 3-0 up there during the season before last and I realise that it is utterly impossible to have any respect for a man who is so cringingly self-serving and so utterly selfish. Without the Sheikh’s riches he would be the personification of the Emperor’s New Clothes.
this bloke is a dud if this is to be believed. Thanks AW
http://blogs.bettor.com/Real-Madrid-planning-to-loan-out-Nuri-Sahin-a175420
Well-done, London! 🙂 🙂 Great opening ceremonies!! You okay, AK?
van Persie is dead to me. He should be sent packing and soon.
Hello, Adam. I have always found Mankini loathsome. What an unimaginative manager. For a club that spent such mad money, I think that Citeh has direly underachieved. They barely won the league. And that’s no thanks to him.
Hi Agag, how’s the economising going???
Hi Adam. Mankini grrrrr. It’s working mate… 🙂
Alan MP. Agree re: China game. An exercise in merchandise movement.
Wow I could murder a pint.
Pity your not in London Adam…… Lee…… anyone. 🙁
I am in denial over my shoe spending, AK. Ahaha. 🙂 🙂 Oh, well. Tourists keeping you busy?? 😀
No, just sitting out east Kev, wondering about a trip over to Greenwich tomorrow morning to check out the new Cutty Sark exhibit.
Hi Agag. Are you following the Philipino athletes?
Rumours of a big Arsenal transfer later today according to a well connected journalist on twitter, fingers crossed.
If their matches are shown here, I would, Adam. 🙂 My country has never won an Olympic gold. 🙁 🙁 (other than in exhibition sports)
Micko, I quite like that! 🙂 But who’s this journo?
Micko. Don’t tease. 🙂
Mick, was that Rick O’Shea on Twitter?
Agag, you win the gold medal for shopping… 😛
Got an IPhone. Giving me a migraine.
Lee, I need your help.
Your the Apple expert.
damn am hungry………
I realized, AK that I should not have signed up for any of those shopping/flash sale sites. I. Must. Unsubscribe.
And you’ve gone all posh with the phone! 🙂 🙂 Niiiice.
afternoon guys……signed any one yet?
hey AGAG, i ve promised my self am not gonna cry over you anymore. am gonna act natural around you hence forth.
yeah like you ll believe that……
hey AK, how are ya? still ripping off unsuspecting tourists right? micko, where did you get that from? hope its santi though…..
Haha, goonster. 🙂 You have to admit the grape feeding and hair brushing bit was weeeeiiiiirrrrd. 😀 😀
Who’s this El Kaddouri we’re linked to?? Does anyone know?
HaHa Agag. Yes Rico thinks i’m posh now…!
Meee? Posh?
That’s like calling Wath teetotal….
No Agag, You, Must, Buy, Shoes, Then, Total, Happiness 🙂
Hiya Stanley.
Just watched the city highlights. Things that stood out, we were the better footballing team; we will have the same defensive frailties this year and the ox is a different gravy.
You don’t get much posher than an iPhone. 😀 😀 And WATH would die if he had to stop drinking. 😀
Hi, Lewis. We were undone by naive mistakes yet again. That must be sorted out. Stat!!
I fear another similar season awaits agag.
Lewis, hopefully, Bould would help with that. It must be admitted our club’s defense cannot get much worse… that can only mean we would improve. Or maybe, hope just springs eternal. 😉
AGAG, that was my fantasy! feeding you grapes and brushing your long hair. atleast in my country its not a crime to dream.
sid lowe thinks we ll get both la liga targets. yipeeeeeee
hi all..very late today- i see there’s really not much to cheer – agag you and goonster should be gd together
Mankini always sounds like a spoilt child who always wants his neighbour’s toys…it doesn’t matter if he can get the same type of toy(or a better one) at the mall. He constantly cries about how good that particular toy is and how he hates his $rich uncle for letting that toy spend another minute in the neighbour’s house..just makes me wonder!!!!
bondex, you are a pal…..been telling her that for ages. we should be together….filipino vs dutch, wow we ll make some mean looking babies……….yaoouza!
sell him robin……i ll rather he goes to shitty than manure. i hate fergusnose! a cool 25m ll see us buy carzola with change to spare. flog him says i.
gonster always…..won’t mind him going to Mars his bizwax..to think we all truly loved him
at this rate i love AW more,despite his uncaring attitude towards the fans…at least he always stays
bondex i care little about him now…just cant stop thinking of the possibility of carzola, poldoski and giroud lining up for us. men am creaming all over…..did you say something? robin who?
you and me both buddy…….hope he brings in the right players. with carzola and hopefully sahin i see us amongst the mix next season. chelsea will falter. too many individual players on that team. oscar,hazard and hulk are too into themselves to play for each other. hopefully we ll smash them again. we always do.
chelsea definitely will falter,i dont grade their smiley faced manager,he doesn’t rely on any formation he is mater of flukes….
i see them finishing outside the top 4 again.
well he probably will be the first to loose his job in the coming season…then AVB
what do you make of manure’s team?
and then MANKINI after loosing 4 of the first 12 matches they are involved in….
the cheski fans ll freak if oblomovich sacks him. they love him in that parts.
I think they will struggle a lot this season,shinji will find out how hard it is to play in the PL,after a few knocks from the bad boys (stoke and the likes) he’ll soon be crying for home…their defence is week.I also think they’ve had an extended use of luck,it should run out soon.
mankini ll be the first to go pal…..he barely won the league last term. the arabs wont be so accomodating this term.
well lets see how much they’ll love him when he draws half of their games by playing defensive
yeah but they have coward webb to help them out in every game. i think they ll win it. i hope am wrong though
chel$ki fans dream the kind of football we have at the emirates(well not the ones we loose) but they can only dream..
hahahahahaha yeah you re right bondex….fans are really fickle in the UK.
what sort of injuries….coward web,you have a point there but then their luck should run out soon
that’s why i believe wenger ll not rest until we start playing the brand of football we played in 07/08. wow that was a team. cesc,hleb,tr7 and flamster. i miss those guys.
weel was thinking of a kind of injury that’ll keep him out for the whole season(coward web)
flamster chose to go RVP’s way so i dont care about him…but that team was really good..thinking of them makes me wanna cr………..lol
have to go now good nite goonie…good nite allll
nah if coward webb leaves……..they ve got dowb and twattenburg. manure is the pl version of juve. i hate those guys.
night bondex..
guess i better clear out too…..night good people.
nice……….i must have overdone it. who’s goonser stan? jeez, slow down on the tequila.
GOD, HOW, I HATE THE OLYMPICS.
Stanley, you really, REALLY, need to calm down…
AK, i am calm. what are talking about?
you hate the olympics????? how’s that?
Stan, the firm that my son works for, had to lay off 200 workers…
And in the midst of a recession…
That is the tip of the iceberg…
That Carzola is looking a strong bet now Stanley….
But keep it under your hat, ok…shhhh
Stay nice & chilled, and/if wd get him, then you can go ballistic and remind us who said what first.
Until then Stan, slowly slowly, catchee Carzola, shhhhh. 🙂
Not sure about Sahin, but Arsenal & Real have done loan deals before…
Think that there’s a cordial relationship between the clubs, & if Sahin can do for us what Benny did last season, then that would do for me.
AK, that’s horrible. hope your son was spared.
Yes Stan, he was among about 25 workers kept on for some
work, ironically, connected to road maintainance around the
Olympic site.
OMG, so what about the other guys? fired? what are they going to do?
Goodnight Stan, see ya lata…
goodnight AK……….wow that’s scary. hope i dont get fired soon. lord help me.
Morning all….
New post up