Morning fellow Gooners,
Little titbit to start with and that’s about Borussia Dortmund playmaker Shinji Kagawa, apparently Arsene Wenger has entered the race to sign him. His value is around £5 Million as he has just one year left on his contract and he wants to move to the Premier League.
Not long now until we head off to face West Brom in our final game of the season and as usual, Arsene Wenger faced the press and to no surprise he was asked about all the M’Vila rumours that have been doing the rounds:
It is not true. There is not any interest at the moment, we have not been in touch with anybody, we have not made any offer to anybody and we are nowhere near to buying anybody at the moment.
We are focused on our final game of the season.
Why good?
Well we have all learned many things about our manager and if there is one thing that stands out, it’s that he always speaks very far from the truth when it comes to potential transfer targets.
So many times we have heard him say that he is in for a defender, after cover for left back or we may look to strengthen our offensive game – yet how many times has he actually carried out such promises – very few is answer over the last few transfer windows, especially the January ones and only a couple of months ago he said he would seek a loan to cover our left side of defence, he didn’t and it cost us a few points…
So for him to say he has not or is not really looking to sign M’Vila is good news, it could just mean that something is happening but he doesn’t want another club to get in and muck it up. Mind you, Ivan Gazidis could do that on his own!
He says he is focussed on Sundays game, so he should be too, there is so much resting on it!
Most of all for us fans it’s about finishing above our bitter rivals, we don’t need to hear about how they finished above us in the league all summer! Actually, make that for the next fifty years as if they do, that is all they will have to hold on too.
Why?
Because Steve Bould has now been confirmed as the assistant manager, changes are on their way!
Suggestion is that he is no yes man, so he’ll make his point and make sure he’s heard, good, just what we need and Wenger talked about his new right hand man:
His qualities are that he has experience of the top-level game, he has managed here, he knows our football philosophy and therefore there will be a continuity.
He has also chosen after his playing career to coach here at the Club and we always want to give an advantage to people who know how we work, how we want to coach.
A very good coach is the most important thing, no matter where you played.
Finally…..
All the very best to Pat Rice, I hope he has a long and healthy retirement.
May Arsene Wenger and Steve Bould together make sure that for Pat, sitting at The Emirates watching his club, is far less stressful than it has been of late when he’s been watching from the dugout…
It will be less stressful for all of us too, eh……
Send your special retirement message to Pat Rice here…….
May the Arsenal players send their own message to him on Sunday and three points would be the best way to do that!
Have a good day all…..
Happy Friday all…
West Brom will be missing skipper Chris Brunt for their game with Arsenal on Sunday.
Brunt has had his tonsils removed now as he is a potential candidate for the Great Britain Olympic squad, and wants to play at London 2012, if required by Stuart Pearce.
Albion assistant manager Keith Downing confirmed: “We know Chris might be considered for the Great Britain team.
“He has been stop-start with them (the tonsils) so the decision was taken to (remove them) now and it will give someone else the opportunity to play on Sunday.”
The Baggies also have doubts over leading scorer Peter Odemwingie and winger Jerome Thomas for a match the Gunners need to win to secure a Champions League spot.
Downing said: “Peter is doing rehab to try and get back before the weekend while Jerome has been out for the past couple of days with a virus.”
Squad: Foster, Daniels, Fulop, Jones, Olsson, McAuley, Dawson, Ridgewell, Shorey, Mulumbu, Scharner, Andrews, Thomas, Dorrans, Tchoyi, Cox, Fortune, Long, Odemwingie, Hurst, Roofe, Berahino, Morrison.
TFIF 🙂
Morning all……
I hope Ben Foster drops something on his foot and can’t play, same with Long and Odemwingie….
Ben Foster, yeah, he does seem to play out of his skin when facing shirts with cannons on them…
About time he had a mare…
The waiter had a howler against the Baggies….
He does AK…
The waiter haad a howler in most games he played, his only good game imho was for 45 mins at home to Barca, last season i think…
I was just going to post that… great minds! 😉
M’Vila wants to sign for Arsenal…a player that many in France believe is better than Vieira….let’s just get on with it and do the deal and not give anyone else the TIME fo fcuk it up!
😆
Going back to M’Vila – i reckon we are in talks but its a case of no distractions ahead of the Baggies fixture
Really hope Bouldy gets his butt in the changing rooms before KO, he may not be london born and bred buts he’s a Gooner …
Ditto Chrisc but after Sunday, thats the focus and three points are needed…
Talking of Sunday, why are all the games being played on that day, what is wrong with 3pm on a Saturday like it should be….
Don’t know Rico…
Sky Sports no doubt Lee, they will love this weekend, the title can go either way and so can the CL places….
Sad old days really….
Could’ve been sewn up weeks ago…..why do something the easy way? Do it The Arsenal way!!
Lee, your always complaining….
Don’t you just love the uncertainty, the excitement, the thrill of not knowing how it’s all gonna end up??? 🙂
No?!!!!
Yeah, me neither….
I know, pees me off big time, just three points, three poxy points!!
The two recent home games have cost us dear, no faffing around on Sunday, we need to go for the throats from the off…
Wouldn’t be surprised to see Fulham nick a point though….
Especailly as Arry thinks the Chavs want him next season 😉
Me neither AK…. 🙁
Some geezer in our office who’s Baggie….keeps boing boing me!!
Ramsey to start on Sunday?
Or….
Coquelin to start on Sunday??
Who do you think Arsene will choose???
Coquelin all day for me….. but Ramsey will start!
Naughty Baggie 🙂
Coquelin for me too AK, Ramsey is our weak link right now…
With so much at stake, Wenger would be a fool to start Ramsey…
Good morning Guys and Chicks of the Gunners’ Faith.
Hope you all are ok.
It is TV law now Rico. Sunday is more sexy on the box than Saturday. And they all have to play at the same time….so that no result is known beforehand. So if AFC should go 5-0 inside the first 30 minutes Swampy Slum FC would not know and in this way no results determine the attitude during the match. 😆 As if!!!!!
Arsenal forward Carlos Vela has revealed to his international manager that he will not be playing for Arsenal again as he seeks to find a new club for next season.
Vela has been on a season long loan at Real Sociedad where he has impressed many in Spain with 12 goals and eight assist in his 31 La Liga appearances.
The striker has confirmed that he will not be returning to Arsenal at the end of his loan spell and he has also opted out of playing for Mexico at the London Olympics in order to find a new club.
Vela has never managed to convince Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger that he deserves a regular place in the first team squad and has been sent on loan to the likes of Osasuna, West Brom and Sociedad.
However, after a season of being a crucial member of the first team at the Spanish club he has told Mexico manager Hector Gonzalez that he will be looking for a new club over the summer months.
“He told us that he does not want to play for Arsenal and he will go to a different club,” Gonzalez told reporters, as revealed on goal.com.
“He asked [not to be called up] so he can play the pre-season and meet his new manager at his new club, because it is almost sure he will not continue on at Real Sociedad.”
With Arsenal already securing the services of Lukas Podolski for next season it was perhaps unlikely that Vela would have been a part of Wenger’s plans for next season.
Morning Coach.
And Morning Gooners btw…
Lee, i agree. I think that AW will stick with Ramsey.
My team would be
Chesney
Jenks, Koscielny, TommyV,Gibbs
Coquelin, Song
Benny, TR07, Santos
RVP
Subs……..Theo, OX,
Stubborn w@nker that he is, AK!!
Coach, can’t disagree with that team….
I am off now. Be back in a couple of hours.
Vela. A missed opportunity for both player and AFC.
But i wonder if his heart was really in Arsenal and settling into life in the UK…?
The more i read about him, the more i feel that he never made a big enough effort to learn the language and integrate.
knowing AW he will have JD as right back and Ramsy in midfield.
JD’s stats when starting a game this season are fcking terrible…..
I think the acid-test for Vela, was his period at West Brom…
Saying that he was underwhelming, is being kind imho.
More fool him for not choosing Bolton!
Hi devil –
i know, if they were scheduled for Saturday they wouldn’t be able to show any at 3pm, wrong though imho….
mind you, they are only showing the manc games live here anyway i think….
Doesn’t City kick-off at 2pm, and Mancs at 4pm?
JD should be out the door in the summer…
I reckon he will start Coq and start Theo….
AW won’t care if he suffers a tweak and has to go off, he’s got plenty of time to rest 😉
Think so AK, how daft is that eh? They should all be starting at the same time, no advantage to anyone….
I don’t know whay they can screen every game too….
http://football-talk.co.uk/63232/wenger-expects-quiet-summer-in-transfer-market/
All games are at 3.00pm…. Sky’s coverage starts at 2.00pm!
Yeah Lee, just checked, your correct, again!
Smarty pants…. 😉
Leebon!
Oops-a-diddly 🙂
Back shortly….
Morning from the beach.
Fulham did us over this season and I reckon they are well up for the trip to WHL. I wouldnt like to be playing them home or away.
Also Sky probably going on the fact that they’l get loads of viewers on Saturday with previews to sunday and sports news wall efforts at all possible scenarios etc. Like the elections. Replays are worthless these days with online so better for sky this way round. I dunno…just a thought.
So Is woy still actually in charge of the team on sun or just by contract?
Hi thorny – yep, Woy is in charge, hopefully his team will be gutted by the news and put on a shocking performance ans we batter them 😉
Wenger is confident…
“It will be a great achievement if we manage to do it. I believe it would be reward for a group which has exceptional strength,” he told Arsenal Player.
“They have come through some difficult times, always recovered and always battled. Therefore I will be extremely delighted when we do it.
“[It reminds me of the final game at Highbury] a little bit because the qualifying was the same, with the Champions League at stake.
“There is even more uncertainty because fourth place is not this time necessarily in the Champions League.
“Let’s make sure we finish third and win our game – that is the only answer we can give. To do that of course you need a full, committed performance from everybody.
“On that front I am quite sure we will get that from our players and then we will have a very good chance to do it.”
reckon so rico.
at least it’s in our own hands thorny, if we don’t get 3rd then its all down to the club, should have been wrapped up weeks ago 🙁
It’s great going into the last game with so much depending on it keeps the excitement at a peak better than a cup final I think for excitement it’s been a great season 5-3 at the bridge 5-2 comeback against the spuds last minute goals against city barcodes almost a miracle comeback against Milan winning at anfield when under the cosh and more comebacks than the nolans it’s not always about winning things sometimes it’s about the go mental moments and we have had plenty this season what ever happens we will always be arsenal
Evening all.
It’s been a long week,but I’m looking forward to midnight Sunday night/Monday morning for kick off……just what I need lol!!!!
How is everyone?
Hi The font, it might be exciting but I wish it wasn’t all coming down to this one game 🙁
Hi Scott, nervous, very very nervous…..
Well said Font.
Rico,stay positive,be happy,think good thoughts.
Our boys have one last big effort in them,have no fear.
I’m a realist Scott, the last few performances and results do little to make me feel positive….
Rico,yes,but how West Broms form……hardly awe inspiring.
Nor was a lot of sides we slipped up against Scott….
We need the peformance of the season on Sunday, and for 90 mins+…
Nothing else will do….
Its a scarey one but The boys will surely raise their game after Norwich. And after all we are Arsenal and are simply better than WB.
On another note, if we lose and are 5th something will still have to happen.
Gazid, hill wood, stan k, and Wenger all know very well that the fans will explode if we lose out when it was in our hands. They also know how fed up fans are with lack of silver and apparent lack of ambition. They have heard the crys and know that after last summers atrotious selling in the t window and the last minute purchases whilst at 17th can NOT happen again. They know that they have rinsed the “moving to a new stadium” line to its maximum rinsability. And mostly… they know that big A uz is waiting to dive in with his millions
They are aware that we know; (amoung other things)
That we made Fabregas captain just to keep him and he was not captain meterial. Then let him go home to mummy.
That Wenger plays people out of possition and it hasnt worked
That Pat Rice was getting too old
That we have made 50 million after tax.
We got lots for fab and naz and didnt reinvest it.
That big A uz is waiting to dive in with his millions.
The links here that imho will mean this year will be possitive are;
Big A uz is ready to pounce
The board and management have one more chance and if they fail he will be in the door somehow.
Everything is neatly poised for this summer, RVP contract, early buying of Podolski. apparent big sell off etc
This is not meant to take the heat from Sunday but its a watershead year here and it means that something has to happen or its all hell for the board.
Wenger said we are challenging next year.
Hi scott hi rico fate is in our own hands it all depends on what baggies team turns up if there behind roy they may what to give him a great send off if they feel betrayed they might not turn up
Afternoon, when you say Ursmanov is ready to pounce with his millions will he do something materially good for the club and pay of the debt from his own pocket? He talks about a rights issue not investment into and for the benefit of the club. I agree that the transfer policy has been frustrating but the belief that we have all of the money there is probably not the case as payments are normally staged over a period of years.
This would be the same Wenger who took a left back (Petit) and turned him into a central midfielder, turned Henry into a Striker. Lauren into a top quality right back ?
That’s a really good comment thorny – just why AW will make sure he does his be all and end all to get the players prepared for this one – the aftermath of a loss/5th etc would be a disaster for SK’s bank balance and fans will be calling for AW’s head…
Doesn’t bear thinking about 🙁
That’s the Wenger we want back…..please!
Many surfers today thorny, lovely sunny day here…
my mate was at the Emirates last night for their charity do…said it was brilliant, had TR and YB on his table! Alan Davies did a stand up set…”Boys don’t drink any booze tonight, we don’t want another fuck up like the Norwich game do we….?” 😆
Font, lets pray they feel betrayed then… 😉
Lee – I don’t think we’ll get that Wenger back all the time Stan is the owner…
Just going to check the surf rico. back later.
Nice one alan Davies.
Hi vernat – i wish he’d hurry up and get his shares and then make his move….
Lee that’s cracking, i bet there wasn’t a sniff of alcohol anywhere to be seennn
You mind one of those caravans don’t fall over the cliff thorny 😉
RVP & TR were bidding against eachother all for their charity and RVP must of spent in excess of £40k…..my shouted out someone’s had a pay rise!! 😆
Hi Rico, i wish he would sell his shares and piss off to be honest. He is at best a questionable person and I don’t want him near the club, if he wants to own a club go and buy Everton we don’t need him or want him.
good afternoon
Vela wil be not on our squad for next year.
Don’t forget we must only have 25 players for next year. It’s not a lot. so many few players will be transfer or maybe on loan if possible. Imagine 3 gk,8 defenders,8 midfields and 6 stikers and you have the 25 players.
😆 Lee, let’s hope he has….
You and me both vernat, for all the stick AW gets, someone behind him is letting him get away with it, that can only be Stan – he must obviously be ‘happy’ with the way AW spends, or doesn’t spend money – shocking in my opinion…
We are in the PL to win matches and do our best to win trophies, not just sneak in the top 4 every season for the sake of a few thousands….
Sorry Rico I was talking about Ursmanov not Stan
JM, I thought Vela was gonna make it…cracking finisher!
Ah, you don’t want AU then vernat 😉
Hi JM, wonderful player, ruined by Arsenal imho….
Afternoon all,
The Font 11.58, plenty of “Go mental moments” just mostly at the wrong end.
Still, keeps us all on the edge of our seats and on the verge of a mental breakdown, us Arsenal supporters wouldn’t want it any other way !!!
What do you make of the rumour linking us with Moussa Dembele?
Afternoon Micko – think i started my mental breakdown when we playerd Qpr….
is he good enough for us vernat?
38 caps for Belgium, played at some decent clubs but i would rather buy Felliani of the two belgian midfielders but Dembele is out of contract next year so would be cheaper, knows the league and Vermalen so might not be a bad shout. Listed as 6’1 so would bring a bit of size to the team.
Mine was Wigan rico.
Vernat, just that, another rumour, we already have plenty of competition in the midfield department, if wenger is going to buy it has to be a marquee signing for me, he’ll probably cost about 17 million though.
John Terry has just tweeted how he is sad to be missing the Champions
League Final .. and that it wont be the same watching it on TV at
Christine Bleakley’s house
Got to dash off for an hour…. Laters
Micko agree we have a lot of competition in midfield but I think we have to many players of the same type would like to see some one with different characteristics in there to offer a different option, primarily some one who gets beyond the strikers and into the box which we have missed for a long time
To be fair vernat, Dembele has been mentioned on here a few times, your right, we need someone that will make a difference and stamp their authority games, priority has to be a new DCM to give song competition, allowing Wilshire and Arteta to do their magic futher on up the field next season, I hope it happens.
If we don’t then i thik that we should play Arteta, Coqueiin as the deeper midfielders and use Song’s strength and physicality as a more box to box player
Hi all
right, AW not buying. Back to normal
Hi all.
Of course he is not buying Alan. Not before a big match like tomorrow. He will buy rest assured. But he said he is not going to buy. Never believe AW and what he says about transfers.
Hi Devilgunner. History seems to repeat himself with this bloke. Podolski was a surprise so let’s see if I can be surprised again
He speak with forked tongue!
rico says:
May 11, 2012 at 1:33 pm
You and me both vernat, for all the stick AW gets, someone behind him is letting him get away with it, that can only be Stan – he must obviously be ‘happy’ with the way AW spends, or doesn’t spend money – shocking in my opinion…
We are in the PL to win matches and do our best to win trophies, not just sneak in the top 4 every season for the sake of a few thousands….
It’s not ” getting away with it” He is following the business model as required
What is heaven’s name makes you think they prioritize match winning?
correction
” what in “
Lee – that is really funny re JT 😆
Hi alan, i don’t trust a word wenger says when it comes to transfers, and lets give him chance, the window isn’t even open yet 😉
probably true though Rico…. 😉
Micko – thinking about it, mine was at OT 😉
Exactly Alan, the directors will be doing one of those conga line dances around the boardroom table on sunday if we secure 3rd place, they’ll have won the lottery again.
Hi Alan, I believe that they set out each season to win, but more in hope than in expectation, hope that Arsene can utilise his resources which are more limited in scope than Chelsea, Man U and City now. Where i think we have gone wrong besides not paying the wages required to bring in experienced players and forcing our selves into buying youngsters is in the slowing down of our game with the lack of midfield runners getting into the box (see lack of goals from midfield) and the over reliance on the main striker (like when Ian Wright was the only one who scored, then TH now RVP)
If I could see a fundamental change in the club it would be to tell the players on the pitch to play what they see not to worry about systems and scenarios but to take responsibility for their actions on the pitch and not abdicate responsibility to one man to make the difference. Lets go back to playing with speed and flair and having a go at teams, make them fear us instead of fearing what they can do to us
Wouldn’t be surprised Lee 😉
alan – that is what i am saying, AW is doing what Stan wants and it’s all about money – well that is not why AFC exist, it’s a football club with a football team and about winning, not making money and the fans cost…
Micko says:
May 11, 2012 at 3:19 pm
Exactly Alan, the directors will be doing one of those conga line dances around the boardroom table on sunday if we secure 3rd place, they’ll have won the lottery again.
ys Micko, the best thing that can happen is we get beaten if we want AW to encourage transfers. Not a nice thing, but speaking practically, AW will only buy if there is a disaster
Winning tomorrow will justify their AW’s as he sees it
vernat
‘Lets go back to playing with speed and flair and having a go at teams, make them fear us instead of fearing what they can do to us’
That means spending money, we haven’t got the pace in our side these days…. And we can always count on Ramsey to slow the play down 😉
Clint Dempsey is out of the Fulham game 🙁
No Gareth Bale to Barcelona deal – Spurs boss Harry Redknapp
Harry Redknapp has denied Tottenham have agreed a £32m deal with Spanish giants Barcelona for Gareth Bale.
Reports in the Spanish media on Friday suggested the Catalan side were set to pay 40m euros for the Welsh winger, 22.
“I wouldn’t think there’s a slightest bit of truth in that,” said Redknapp. “Not a chance I wouldn’t have thought.”
😆
32 mill?
Or perhaps no one ahead of him is giving a forward option, to many players are over coached almost conditioned to do certain things, make the game easy and give your team mate an option to pass to.
Alan, what you doing, you’ll have the lynch party after me, 3rd is a must, this time around instead of lining their pockets the board must plough it back into the team to at least give us a fighting chance of winning silverware next season, you’d hope they would have learnt the error of their ways after last summers fiasco.
Wojciech Szczesny is struggling to be fit for Arsenal’s vital Premier League encounter with West Brom on Sunday. Reports suggest the Polish keeper has a back problem and a knee injury and faces a race against time to be in shape for the crucial game at the Hawthorns.
Arsenal go in to the game with their destiny in their own hands as far as finishing third and qualifying for the Champions League is concerned. If Szczesny loses his battle to be fit then it would appear that Lukazs Fabianski, seemingly on his way out of the club in the summer because of lack of first team action, will act as his stand-in.
Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger says there should be no need for Arsenal to worry about what the Tottenham and Newcastle results are on Sunday with Arsenal who one point ahead and with a better goal difference.
If Arsenal fail to get the required result, we could finish fourth or indeed fifth if Newcastle, who are two points adrift, win and we lose. And if we don’t achieve third spot it’ll mean a nervous wait to see if Chelsea win the Champions League final in Munich, which would mean Chelski take the place in the group stage next season with the fourth-placed Premier League side dropping down into the Europa League rather than going into the qualifiers.
We could have sealed our position last week against Norwich but, as you know, were held to a 3-3 draw and Wenger insists Arsenal cannot afford any more defensive errors like they displayed against the Canaries.
And the week before, a win at Stoke would have helped our cause but we came away with a point from a 1-1 draw.
Wenger said: “We were focused and switched on in the last couple of weeks. At Stoke we had a good game and offensively against Norwich we had a good game. Defensively, though, we had not the expected level.
“Maybe we were focused too much on winning the game and forgot that to win the game you need to defend as well.”
Hi Vernat
you have a point I think. They do things on the cheap hoping for a good result so they can sell young players at a profit
Thats what SS’s quoted alan, thought he’d be less than that 😉
lot of money, Rico. Fine player, but that price seems excessive even, or especially if true
Lee, i’d say you’ve got a kidney riding on Cheezer being fit for sunday.
i might have to sell a child if we don’t win……..
Diving welsh wanker…
Arggggggggggggg – that’s all we need, Flappy in goal…
Wenger said:
“Maybe we were focused too much on winning the game and forgot that to win the game you need to defend as well.”
What a crazy crazy comment………..
fancy AW talking about defence and he doesn’t even practice it
Could be worse than Flappy in Goal could be Almunia
Thats not what Kos said alan….
vernat, don’t even go there 😉
FFS!
He’ll be fit Lee, don’t you fret 😉
I think that its more of an attention grabbing headline rather than a serious injury. Chesney is hurt is just deflating the attention from the team onto something else. At least that is my opinion.
We will see on Saturday
In the meantime……I am off to the final league match that my club will play today. Get a point and will stay in the premier division after going up last year. We have never done two seasons in a row. Hopefully we will get it.
And……….4 of the first team have all been former players who spent at least two years with me.
C u all later.
Sunday devil 😉
Good luck to you and your team….
We need it Rico.
I have butterflies all over me. And I am not playing. What would it be like if I were playing????
We had a positive year and to be relegated after just one season would be a kick up the balls. If we stay up it will be a terrific achievement since 8 out of the first 11 are all local products. the 4 I mentioned above are still under 22 years and they have played regularly this year.
Hope I am smiling at 22.00 hrs today.
Righto..off to prepare now.
Got to do the match report today so I need to focus really well and hear what the head coach has to say to the team before the game.
You’ll be fine devil… 😉
http://twitter.com/#!/Samsondeboy/status/200987783966375936/photo/1
That’s the spirit AK 🙂
Alex Ox-Chamberlain@Alex_OxChambo
Really good night at the charity dinner, met a lot of good people and some true #Gooners ….. I love this club! #AFC
The Arsenal Log@GunnerVan
Is the dubious goals panel looking 2 rebrand itself dumb & dubious? Why cancel Henry’s 229th?! It was deflected in, not re-directed in! #afc
http://twitter.com/#!/Skillzinc/status/200990591662825474/photo/1
You have too much time on your hands AK 😉
Dubious Goals Panel reduce Henry record
GunnersGaming£2 Free Bet (No deposit Required)
WBA v Arsenal1-0 win @6/1
Thierry Henry’s Club record goals tally has been cut by one.
The Arsenal legend thought he’d netted three times during his second spell with the Gunners earlier this year but one of those goals has now been chalked off by the Dubious Goals Panel.
The committee ruled that Arsenal’s seventh goal in their 7-1 win over Blackburn on February 4 was in fact an own goal from Scott Dann.
Henry still leads the Club’s all-time scoring charts with 228 goals. He’s now 43 clear of Ian Wright, whose mark of 185 the Frenchman eclipsed in October 2005.
Rico….. 😆
off for an early dinner…. back shortly…
hello everybody…
veru calm today
Surf was junk. Sunny tho and well warm. Dodged a couple of caravans rico.
I dont know much about A uz guys but the fact that he exists with a large chq book is what will make this the watershead year for the board. The fans know him and smell his wallet and that tide is nearly impossible to stop. The only thing that will stop it is belief in the current system and after selling Fab and nasri last year this is the current boards last chance to prove theirs and Wengers plans are real, true and meaningfull. I hope they do. But , win or lose on Sunday, this will be it.
Keep RVP, bring in a few, sell some junk, talk up challenging?….all good.
lose RVP buy rubbish and try to convince us that we can challenge………….you watch A uz appear over the horizon. Just what I see happening thats all.
off to a wedding reception on the beach now….I,ll question some gooners I know there and see what they think. Ill tell them about you lot on here. later.
Evening all…..
Have a lovely evening thorny….
Any news from where you are JM?
Evening Rico, just been chatting to my mate again about that charity evening…. said it was really top drawer, he reckons Santos was really funny!!!
Evening Lee – which bit, his butt 😉
Please please boys don’t fuck this up on Sunday, you’ve got another bite of the cherry, go up there and play your heart’s out!!
Lee – if they can’t, they should all go on the ‘For Sale’ advert, if this can’t raise their game, nothing will – they showed what they can do for 45 mins against the Swampies, we need that for 90….
Ok, I am done, BGT and the soaps call me on this lovely Friday evening…
Nighty Lee and all, stay safe and have a good one…
Til tommorow all 🙂
Night Rico….. I’m outta here too, night all you gooners!!!!
Morning all.
Anyone still up?
hello
everything is calm here.
News alert….Happy birthday Diaby.
News alert………Diaby spends birthday with Arsenal teammates,and offers special thanks to Van Persies wife for making him such a beautiful birthday cake……..it was decorated with Diaby in next seasons shirt,so he’s hoping its an omen.
Latest injury update on Arsenals official site……..Diaby to miss upcoming West Bromwich Albion match due to minor facial burns suffered during birthday celebrations.
Though the birthday cakes candles flared up during his attempt to blow them out,he certainly doesn’t hold Mrs Van Persie responsible.
Back just for a short comment.
We won 4-1 and therefore we retain our premier status for the first time in the club’s history. An extraordinary achievement bearing in mind that we work within our means and with our products. The end of the match saw all 11 players on the pitch being a product of our club.
We are all happy.
Now its off to bed. I am knackered.
Gd night mates
Well done Devil,congratulations.
I’m off to Seans game now,so catch you all later.
Fantastic Devil, but who is that club?
Update news: Szecs maybe not fit for sunday. Fabiansky probably the goalkeeper
Arsenal’s Arsène Wenger predicts summer transfer window of austerity
• Arsenal’s priority is to convince Robin van Persie to stay
• ‘A huge crisis is hitting Europe. There will be little movement’
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Dominic Fifield
guardian.co.uk, Friday 11 May 2012 23.03 BST
The Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger believes it will be a very quiet summer in the transfer market because of the economic downturn. Photograph: Bryn Lennon/Getty
Arsène Wenger has moved to douse expectations over Arsenal’s recruitment policy by suggesting the economic downturn, and restrictions over the number of squad members who can be registered in the Premier League, will ensure it is a “very quiet summer” in the transfer market at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal will attempt to secure third place, and automatic qualification for next season’s Champions League, by winning at West BromwichAlbion on Sunday with Wenger hopeful that gaining entry into Europe’s elite club competition will provide a positive influence on his captain, Robin van Persie, ahead of talks with the striker over a new four-year contract at the club.
Van Persie, who is entering the final year of his current deal, had been seeking evidence of ambition in terms of squad strengthening this summer, with the £10.9m arrival of Lukas Podolski having set an early upbeat tone. There is interest in Ajax’s Jan Vertonghen, Junior Hoilett of Blackburn Rovers, Borussia Dortmund’s Shinji Kagawa and the Rennes midfielder Yann M’Vila, but any major outlay would be dependent upon offloading players, many of whom are on lucrative contracts, from the current squad.
Wenger has spoken pessimistically over the prospect of signing M’Vila, despite the France midfielder having indicated a desire to move to the Emirates, ahead of what he anticipates will be a close season that will reflect global austerity. “I feel we will have a very quiet summer on the transfer market because there is a huge crisis that is hitting Europe, and that there will be very little movement,” he said. “In England it will be quiet because of the 25-man squad rule and, if you cannot move the players out, you cannot buy.
“Let’s not forget we bought Podolski already, and that another way for us to strengthen is to get [Jack] Wilshere and [Abou] Diaby back, neither of whom played at all the whole season. And so you look at the number of players: we have 34 players when they all come back. That means you have to pay nine not to play.”
The France national coach, Laurent Blanc, meanwhile, is hoping the players he selects for Euro 2012 will have addressed their futures – whether that involves new contracts or transfers – ahead of the tournament, though Wenger suggested that was unrealistic. “It never works like it is predicted,” said the Arsenal manager. When it was pointed out that the proposed rise in taxes in France might further encourage players, such as M’Vila, to move to England, he added: “Maybe. Let’s see if they get it through first. And if there are any exceptions [to the new regulations]. The country is very good at making exceptions, so we will see.”
Wenger acknowledged qualification for the Champions League would be preferable to starting the new season in the Europa League for the first time since 1997 though, while he admitted that might have an influence on Van Persie’s thinking, he was anxious not to dismiss Uefa’s secondary club competition as valueless. “I am inclined to think, ‘yes’, it might be easier [to convince Van Persie to stay if Arsenal qualified for the Champions League],” he said. “But I don’t know for sure whether it would have an influence on him. Anyway, we don’t focus on just that. Robin is not at the end of his contract. It’s as simple as that.
“Personally, I don’t feel the Europa League is a ‘useless competition’. What’s a useless competition for you? For me, a good competition is when you see two good teams play a good game. I watched Athletic Bilbao and Atlético Madrid in the final and I didn’t miss a second. If you ask me if we’d prefer to be in the Europa League or the Champions League, then yes you are right: you want to be in the Champions League. But you play where you have to, and it’s better to play there than not at all.”
Steve Bould: Stalwart steps up at Arsenal to fix leaky defence
New No 2 has the pedigree to restore Arsenal’s fabled well-drilled rearguard
Jack Pitt-Brooke Friday 11 May 2012
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1 / 1Steve Bould wins promotion from Arsenal’s successful youth set-up
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How can such a wrenching change be made smoothly? Pat Rice is leaving Arsenal, after 16 years as assistant manager, depriving Arsène Wenger of the man who has been his second-in-command for his entire time at the club. But having replaced him with Steve Bould, someone with his own lifetime of Arsenal service, on and off the pitch, Wenger must hope for as serene a transition as possible.
To describe Rice as part of the furniture at Arsenal is an understatement, though not many beds or chairs are in the same place now as they were in 1966. His record is unmatchable, of course, but Bould has himself worked for the club for most of his adult life.
Wenger insisted yesterday that Bould’s Arsenal CV, particularly as a successful youth-team coach, would ensure continuity. “His qualities are that he has experience of the top-level game,” the manager said of his new assistant.
“He has managed here, he knows our football philosophy. So there’ll be continuity. He’s coached here at the club and we want to give advantage to people at the club who know how we work and know how to coach.”
Bould’s time at the club began under George Graham when he was signed from Stoke City in 1988. He was a foundation stone of the impermeable Graham defence which won the title in 1989 and again in 1991. The 1998 Double-winning team, arguably Wenger’s most complete side, with a ferocious physical competitive edge, had Bould as part of it. With Dennis Bergkamp now assistant manager at Ajax, and Patrick Vieira football development executive at Manchester City, it is about time Arsenal themselves harvested some experience from that team.
Having an assistant manager who knows what it is like to wear the shirt is seen as important. Wenger said that Rice’s on-field career – he played in a Double-winning Arsenal side himself, in 1971 – was crucial to his appointment. “It’s important when you come from abroad,” Wenger said yesterday, “to have an assistant who knows the culture of the club and the country.” Wenger, of course, no longer needs someone to tell him about the English game, but that bond, from the bench to the shirt to the pitch, still matters.
Some fans might feel that Bould, as well as being a former hero, represents their concerns. There have been audible calls from some Arsenal supporters for a while about revamping the coaching staff. Wenger and Rice have been very successful, but seven years without a trophy suggests their closed shop might benefit from new ideas. Sir Alex Ferguson, the master of regeneration, has changed assistants over the years. Wenger has not.
Complaints about Wenger’s methods have focused on organisation at the back. Arsenal’s defence is regressing: this year they have conceded 47 goals, 43 last year, 41 the year before that, then 37, then 31. Who better to instil the right rigour into the back four than a man who was part of so many red walls? Issues over marking and positioning should be swiftly identified.
Bould has been intimately involved with youth development, which is so fundamental to the club. The flow of young talent into the first team has allowed Arsenal to constantly rejuvenate. Having taken the Under-18s to the Premier Academy League titles in 2009 and 2010, as well as the 2009 Youth Cup, Bould has moulded many of those players on their way.
Jack Wilshere, Wojciech Szczesny and Kieran Gibbs have all played for Bould, and Gibbs has spoken warmly about his impact. “Steve Bould had a big influence on me,” the young left-back said. “He was my manager for two years and I think it was at an important stage in my development as well.He taught me a lot, and he taught a lot of the other players as well, how to live – on and off the pitch.”
At a club built on progressive continuity, who better than Bould to do it?
So? More of the same then?
Sorry for some of the rubbish that got caught up with my last post….
Hi Kev. I am not exited by Wenger’s latest utterings.
Hi Adam, thought i was on my jack jones….
Not sure we should pay too much attention to what AW says publicly…
Just laying in bed having a mooch around on the iPad. I hope you are right about Wenger but he’s hardly a fun guy is he. Not many transfers, austerity, etc, etc Europa League. I would rather he took the opportunities afforded to him, learned from this season and spent some money to give us a better chance at the league next year. But it’s a bit like a stuck record. Personally I am not fussed about the CL next year and it seems as if he is preparing for us not to be in it to me.
Anyway. Time for some shut-eye. Take it easy Kev and goodnight mate.
If we recall Wenger’s inactivity in recent transfer windows, despite his claims of intending to be busy in the market, then i suppose it’s safe to assume that if he says that he isn’t going to be busy, that the opposite applies.
I do hope so anyway…
We live in hope Kev. We live in hope.
You have a good kip Adam.
Trying dreaming about Vertonghen, M’Vila and Dempsey in Arsenal shirts….
Better than counting sheep… 😉
scott
Love the diaby joke . It’s a pity cos it’s possibly going to happen 🙁
Could be a Hobson’s Choice for Wenger tomorrow…
Fabianski, Mannone, Almunia or ‘long-shot’ Martinez.
Mannone is the only one with recent regular 1st team football behind him…
Also sure that i read somewhere that he had the highest percentage of clean sheets in the Championship this season….
Possible my favourite new wave group!
Pour favour
for rico
Enough music already
rico this is for you
rico what ever the song is listen rico it’s really good!
It’s Number One!
It’s Top of the Pops!
🙂
Evening all.
Morning all…
AK, what is 😉
New Post is up
Hi Scott