Wenger should take up Chess!!

Three pre-season games played resulting in two wins and a draw.

With all the substitutions made during the games, we can’t really say too much about the team only that they are not losing and that suits me fine.

Not all good news though as Conor Henderson picked up a knee injury to kick off our usual injury run which is a shame as the lad was looking good. Hopefully this injury is not a bad one dispite Arsene Wenger saying it didn’t look good.

Gervinho scored two goals on his debut and he looks like he could be a very good signing, theย  fox in the box we have needed for so long, certainly since Eduardo left.

But…… and I don’t like to keep harping on about them but our defending has been shambolic pre-season.

I know we’ve had new guys playing on the flanks but why have we had our left back attacking and being caught out of position?

It’s time to make our defenders concentrate on defending, and forget the forward runs, leave that to the people we have bought to do that.

I said last season that we have a team to win the league and I still believe these players have got what it takes and with a little more concentration, defenders doing their job and not believing they are strikers, we may have achieved this last year.

Right now we are unsure about the future of a couple of mainstay players, we know that they are not happy and they want to move on to new clubs. I think they’ll both go and as far as I am concerned the sooner the better.

I wish them well for the future as long as they are not against us but where we have in the past built our team around Cesc, we will have to find a new ways of play but for me that is no problem, in fact I think it’s a blessing in disguise. We relied on Cesc too much, so much so when he didn’t play it seemed the team didn’t play – well our game should not be all about one player, the team should be able to play well, regardless of who plays and who is missing.

We know that our back line needs revamping but I don’t think it is as bad as it may seem, in fact just a good experienced centre back with organising skills and a dominating presence will probably transform the whole of the defence.

Fans are calling for so many replacements but in all honesty and if we look at it logically, we maybe need one or two more and if I had my way Cahill and Parker would suit me down to the ground. Also, if I am honest Wenger would have done more than I ever thought he would do if he gets those players.

Wenger infuriates most Gooners, he will always do his own thing and will not be pushed into anything he has not fully worked out.

Some may think he is unsure but he knows exactly what he’s about to do, he will work out the right time to put his offer in and what that means is, he buys players at the best price, just like some of you when you go shopping you sort through the produce on the shelves and find the bargain of the day. I’m some often look at the sell by date and if it is nearing that date, the price goes down.

Wengers sell by date tends to be towards the end of the window and he usually leaves it to the last-minute untill the price is in his range, not one of the best ways to buy players but that seems to work for him.

Painful for supporters but it’s clever business if it comes off.

Supporters at the moment are frustrated, Wenger has that effect on us but Wenger has always been frugal and he won’t change now.

When he does buy,ย  he’ll have a plan as to how things will work out, in fact I liken him to a Chess master.

He plans so many moves ahead, he’ll buy a young kid out of the blue like he did this year when all fans are expecting an experienced defender. We think to ourselves. what’s he bought him for, but yet again it’s one of his moves ahead. I don’t fully understand this as I am more a fix the problem straight away man but I am not a Premier League Manager and while Wenger gets us in the top four-year after year what can I say.

Most supporters believe it is our given right to win the League, the Carling Cup, Champions League and FA Cup but it’s not, we are up against teams that have unlimited funds, teams that can buy any player that they want. Even even if it’s a player that we are bidding for, they can outbid us any day of the week.

There is absolutely nothing Arsenal can do about that either!

So, don’t think we are going to clean up all that is on offer to win, we are not as we are not in their spending league, so we need the Chess Master to do what he does best. The Manchester sides and others with wealthy owners are always going to have the advantage, don’t be naive enough to think any differently but with a chess master like Wenger we stand a chance to nick something.

I’m sorry but that’s the way things are, stand in a restaurant with a millionaire who is spending bundles on posh nosh and expensive booze beside you and try and get served!

That is the situation with the Premier League now and we need to get used to it because it’s not going away, at the moment we are the poor relation but when our debts are paid off, others will be saying the same about us.

It won’t be long either….

Written by Steve Palmer.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
107 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Tim Woolgar
Tim Woolgar
14 years ago

No, Wenger should take up chessboxing!

Highbury House
Highbury House
14 years ago

hi guys n gals….

Mr islington
Mr islington
14 years ago

I’m just now waiting,because i’m just trying to stay away from being negative.

It’s very hard thou,when you have been here time and time again and have been let down before in the market.I always build my hopes up and fall for it all the time.This has been a poor summer,with loads of crap written about us,Nasri who was adored by the Arsenal faithful and just mugs us off and couldnt careless that Arsenal were the ones who stepped this guy’s game up.Will Nasri go city who knows?

A summer of Fabregas staying or going again and it’s still not been sorted out with just over a couple of weeks to the start of the new season.Will there be enough time to replace him??(Even thou it’s not our fault and Barca have been trying to take us for a small time club.)

Just been a poor summer,so it’s hard to be positive.
The one thing i can say is Gervinho looks good. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Dave
Dave
14 years ago

One element of your argument does not work. We actually have two rich owners. It amazes me how Arsenal seem to keep people thinking we are still the poor relation. The great PR job being done there is allowing them to keep their cash in their pockets while they could be forking out like Abramovich and the others. Don’t be fooled. The fundamental problem at Arsenal is lack of ambition and I am sick to the pit of my stomack spending on two season tickets knowing a crap season of achieving nothing lies ahead.

Mr islington
Mr islington
14 years ago

Hi Rico,

Ive been to a wedding that lansbury was at,Really nice fella.He thought he could defo make it with us and laughed that Wenger said he could be the new parlour.

He deserves a chance and i would much rather give him ago if were not buying.I don’t know what all the fuss is about Jet thou.

He had chance’s elsewhere and never seem to take them,i’d be much more p’d off if we lose Henri.

goonerstan
goonerstan
14 years ago

I ll never understand wenger’s logic. He keeps a DIABY who’s a crock and eternally erratic yet he’s willing to let go of lansbury and JET….God help us. It saddens me.

Mr islington
Mr islington
14 years ago

Slow morning around here today,
Don’t know why because this is the best Arsenal fan site on the net by far.You attract more level headed gooners than anywhere else.

Keep up the good work. ๐Ÿ™‚

Dave
Dave
14 years ago

It’s not so much a slow morning as Arsenal have done it again – fuelled false hopes for the summer then delivered nothing. I cannot remember feeling so awful heading into a new season. I have renewed so I will still have my seat when things change in the future, when AW is gone (and probably also the Board). And they know that is why so many of us renew, so it helps them get away with it. How long will this go on for? We are not going to get anywhere near top four this season, which might make things interesting although our signing options next summer will reduce becaus of that. I also hope we lose our CL qualifier as having a run in the Europa League might just give our players some experience of getting genuinely close to winning something. Winning breeds more winning and we have no-one with that experience at the moment (and forget Chamakh and Gervinho – winning in France counts for nothing). Just being truthful.

Mr islington
Mr islington
14 years ago

Dave i don’t really know how you could want Arsenal to lose thou..I could never think that in all my life.

Mr islington
Mr islington
14 years ago

W.A.T.H,

I’m not bad at all mate,How’s trick’s with you?.

We have been here more times then not with Arsenal and we have stuck by the club when we have been ribbed by rival fans about spending and we sort of gave it back about our proud ownership and that we are a proper club.
But there comes a time when you have to break that mould and buy what you need and go get a couple of top draw players in.

If there ever was more of a time when we needed a pick me up then thats now.I think not only do the fans need it,but so do the players!!!

Dave
Dave
14 years ago

Losing to win in the long-term Mr Islington. We have not got a prayer in the Champions’ League so why bother with it. We would have a shout in the Europa League and experience of winning a European trophy could be put to good use to win better stuff in subsequent years. Scraping into a competition we have no chance in is pointless except for the Board members who are in it only for revenue.

Mr islington
Mr islington
14 years ago

Dave i don’t know how you think we havent got a chance init,when we was only 13 mins away from winning it only a few years ago.

We have one of the best records in europe and you would rather us play in some two bit competition on channel 5???

I’d rather watch us beat Barca thanks ๐Ÿ˜‰

We are not bad in europe at all and we we suit that more than the premier league,we are still in the top 5 best clubs in europe right now.

Mr islington
Mr islington
14 years ago

My beef is with the players we have for the whole dosmestic season.
We still have a very talented team and its just the not adding bit that becomes very frustrating!

Mr islington
Mr islington
14 years ago

Rico couldnt agree more,mine was ment to sound more like that…sod it, it’s called multi-tasking ๐Ÿ˜†

oliver
oliver
14 years ago

morning all…other than rumours of eboue’s potential departure, not much going on. it almost seems as if everything else is at a complete standstill, as the squad trains in germany…

i don’t think this has been mentioned much, but we must be nearing the point where cesc will miss our opening few games because he is not ready – assuming he is not sold to barca…he’s yet to appear in a friendly match, has been training on his own. i should think he will not be ready for any of the emirates cup matches, and probably not the friendly at benfica. even if he is given the green light to resume training with the squad in the next few days, surely he will need time and match practice before he can play competitive matches…

terry
terry
14 years ago

if he plans to sell both JET and henri then project youth is a flop itz a lie… chamak and diaby should both be sold and replaced by JET and lansbury….
i am a wenger fan but if he letting these 2 players go them from noe on il tag him a liar

Adam
Adam
14 years ago

Poor Arsene. He is dizzy at the prices he is being quoted. But he is still working hard to bring in the single defender we need. A back up to Squillaci perhaps?

Doc Brody
Doc Brody
14 years ago

Wenger balks at today’s transfer fee because he is old. He just can’t come to grips with the notion that it might take 20 million to sign a player, much less 50.

It reminds me of the time I went on vacation with my parents to the south of France. My father was a wealthy man and we stayed in the best hotels, but when it came to tipping the hotel staff, he was stuck in the 1950s. I tried to say something to him but it fell on deaf ears. Ultimately I resorted to quietly trailing my father and augmenting his paltry tips when I could with something more in keeping with what was standard in “modern times”

Transfer fee and wage inflation is a reality of football in 2011, but I don’t think Le Boss can bring himself to pay.

oliver
oliver
14 years ago

probably…but for the moment he is still here, and still not training with the team…and i don’t think it is a given that fcb will offer a price/player combination acceptable to afc…both clubs seem to be entrenched in their positions and i can see neither side budging for the next few weeks. i don’t think afc will blink first…

like many, i didn’t particularly care for arsene’s “dizzying” comment about transfer fees. he is, of course, entitled to his opinion – but so are the rest of us. the system is what it is, and sniping about how other clubs value their particular players will not accomplish anything – especially when we are holding out for a certain fee for cesc…

as before, i think arsene often talks too much about the wrong things…

oliver
oliver
14 years ago

hi wath…ok, thanks…coping with the sweltering summer heat and humidity here.

i think many of us have sniffed out some duplicity in his comments, when considered against what he has valued certain players at. the market may indeed be out of control – i think few would argue with that – but arsenal football club has contributed to this state, just like all other clubs…

Adam
Adam
14 years ago

Arsene was so dizzy the only way he could be steadied down was for someone to show him a ยฃ sign with the number 6 followed by 6 noughts. He felt better then.

Adam
Adam
14 years ago

Oliver. I think his “dizzying” comments are aimed at the fans, perhaps preparing them for the annual midnight, 31st August bummer / vigil that has become such an essential part being an Arsenal supporter. This of course to be followed by the time honored tradition of “we tried to sign players. We were close but…..” at the following press conference. These and other Greatest Hits include that age old favorite “We Will Only Sign Super Class Players”, “I Think The Fans Will Be Happy With What They See” and of course “I Want To Get Our Business Done Early”. And then my favorite, “Diaby Will Be Like A New Player”. Always a winner.

oliver
oliver
14 years ago

wath/adam, very likely i think…unfortunately, we have all heard the soundbytes before and have all seen the pattern where he actually talks transfer activity down before declaring himself happy with the existing squad.

we’ll have to see how this plays out. i think that, to an extent, the uncertain futures of cesc and nas are staying arsene’s hand at the moment. but only to an extent, as we had identified needs separate from those two players, since the end of last season.

if folks are cynical regarding arsene’s comments and intentions during this summer, the observed pattern of activity from recent summers is a big reason why.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
14 years ago

A good optimistic one, Steve. ๐Ÿ™‚ How you muster it, I don’t know. ๐Ÿ˜‰ It’s not particularly fun being an AFC supporter right now. And where are you? Get in here or you’ll be talking to yourself again… ๐Ÿ˜›

Boo! rico, I hope your mum’s a-ok! Hello, oliver and GG Man. How are you both?

Merlin96
Merlin96
14 years ago

JET sold to Ipswich.

Lansbury next in line???

Look like our Hale End Academy is porducing duds with only Wilshere as the success.

Aneke and Benik?
WIll they make it or goes the way of JET and Lansbury???

oliver
oliver
14 years ago

wath, almost feels like a form of groundhog day, does it not? i don’t necessarily blame arsene directly for the cesc situation – that won’t end until we sell him to barca or someone else.

whatever happened during negotiations, nas was perfectly entitled to reject the contract offered shortly after the new year – his career, his future. but now we are in a pretty unpalatable situation with him. we’re stuck with two scenarios regarding nas: bad (we sell him to one of the three teams that finished ahead of us) and worse (we keep a player who will run his contract down, probably playing with one eye on the exit door, walk away to whomever he chooses at the close season.

arsene’s team is built on the concept that the players will grow together into a winning team, who will stay together for several years, through love of the club and the club’s culture/values. that concept is really being challenged – from within – this summer….

hiya agag…

Merlin96
Merlin96
14 years ago

A little less than 4 weeks, we will be playing against Newcastle.

Going by past trends, I doubt there will be anymore new players coming in and Wenger will depend on “internal resoruces” and promote all his hand-picked youngsters whom he nurtured and developed into senior team:

WIthout doubt, a disinterested Cesc will be still “recovering” from his hamstring injuries and Nasri sold:
The TEAM I envisaged on AUgust 13 should be:

…………………………….Fabianski

….Sagna……….Djourou……Vermaelen……Gibbs

………………..SOng…………………..Wilshere
…….Walcott……………..Rosicky…………….Gervinho

……………………………..Van Persie

And Arshavin is our supersub.

How strong is this TEAM?

Dave
Dave
14 years ago

It is utterly ridiculous to suggest we could win the Champions League. We somehow got to the final in 2006 with a team that was already two years past its peak. They never even got to the final when at their best. And let’s not get into how AW threw it away in the final 13 minutes by making stupid substitutions when Barcelona were on the ropes. Incidentally, he came to Arsenal with a reputation of mucking up at the final hurdle and then wrecking a club with an obsession of Frankensteining a team of unknowns to success which never materialised. It’s worth noting that at this point in time. I have renewed my season ticket to make sure I have my seat not this season but in the future, most likely post-Wenger.

Dave
Dave
14 years ago

Merlin96 – not very. Only Vermaelen, Wilshere and RvP rate a mention. There was a time (not long ago) when even Bolton could muster three stars of that calibre.

Will
Will
14 years ago

JeT gets no chances, Denilson gets several seasons?

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
14 years ago

Boo! Hello, Merlin. I hope Wenger surprises us with some really good defenders; with Clichy gone, and Eboue looking set to leave, Djourou so injury-prone, and Squillaci so… so-so, I don’t have a particularly rosy outlook on our back four.

I wish Cesc would stay. We are so much better when he plays. ๐Ÿ™

Joaquim moreira
Joaquim moreira
14 years ago

hi all
Not good news.
Arsenal It’s a normal team like now

Back to work

Alan S
Alan S
14 years ago

JET ruined his chances in the first team the night he crashed his Maclaren Mercedes.

Completely agree about Lansbury though, defo worth a few starts given the time that has been afforded to Song/Diaby/Denilson.

Another classic transfer window for us though, all hype before hand and then NOTHING, we are currently 2 transfers (Nasri & Cesc) and 3 injuries (RVP / Verm / Jack) 2 of which are pretty much guaranteed, away from being a mid table team!!!

Will
Will
14 years ago

Just seen a clip of JeT on SSN and he is with his “crew”. Now I have a better idea of why he is being let go.

allezkev
allezkev
14 years ago

Afternoon Gooners.
Good post SP.
Media hype, Press garbage. I just ignore it. They hate our guts and love putting out bogus rumours to wind us up & turn us against Wenger.
I’m up ere in the Smoke until Sat’ SP. Miss the crac.
36 days before the Window closes.
Lets see where we are then?
Lata.

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

Evening all,
Cheers AK, I like to think that we will still buy a couple of players, and untill time runs out, i still have faith in AW and IG, Hope we get beat so we can play in the europa league, are you out of your FFFing mind, we are one of the best teams in the world, and you want us to lose ,I am lost for words, i realise your frustrated , but fffing ell your a gooner son, not a Spud i expect that shit from them down the road not one of us, you sure your one of us.

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

I have spent the day with a Spud, He has revelled in how our supporters are against the Manager the players the club, iI had to tell him to fcuk off before i clocked him, i told him we are not a club thats an overnight success and we will again be up there next season, i told him we have bought a new man that has scored two goals in his debut game i told him we will kick his teams arse and every body else’s dont you lot start as soon as i get home.

Will
Will
14 years ago

Steve, good to see you are keeping the faith.

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

Never heard anything like it Will, I am not a good loser at the best of times, but to get knocked out of the Champions league to play an easier comp would go right against the grain i know its a possibility but never to hope for it

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

Evening Wath, i can see where your coming from, but for a string of defeats at the end of the season, and a bad break in the Carling cup, a sending off in the Champions league while we were winning the leg, I still cant see why we are not one of the best, we have lost Clicky which i don’t think will hurt us that bad, Virmin at a pinch could slot in there, and i see that as stronger, Cesc that spent best part of the season injured so he didn’t help that much Arshaven that took three quarters of the season before he started, goal keepers going down like skittles Nasri who only played for three months, Virmin out all season, we have aquired Geronimo If luck is with us maybe a visa for Ryo Bartly ready and willing Jenkinson gagging to go, young Henderson who also looks good where are we weaker, in my eyes that makes us stronger and Wenger is not finnished yet.

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

I have assesed our coming season without Fabregas and Nasri, i have also taken Denilson out and Bentner Straight away i feel better Jack is not a Cesc But he has proved he has the eye for a pass, Ramsey showed me last year he can split defences and also get behind defences, Frimpong will only get better with games and i expect a lot from him Song solid as a rock, i know i am no expert but things look pretty good to me all ready and i expect a new man at the back maybe two and i would be happy for the time being

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

We have indeed Wath, but this time i believe it, i may get kicked in the nuts again but i doubt it.

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

The way i see it Wath, Most supporters or perhaps i should say some supporters have given up all ready, but i can see us winning something next year, i felt the same last season, and we looked bad at the start, but boy did they suprise me.And a lot of the same supporters were saying we wouldn’t, knoway make top four and fcuk me we nearly won it.

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

As far as Cesc i don’t see that as a problem, he has a long contract, we can afford to wait with him, if he happens to stay he may still be a big influence on our future. Nasri is a diferent propersition. After stating that he is prepared to wait and go on a free, and also rejecting a an improved offer of 100 grand a week, he has left Wenger with no other choice but to get rid of him, maybe Wenger will leave it untill he is ready, and not when others think he should. Fcuk it let them all wait, then no bugger is all set up and eager.

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

Nasri could end up with a Bolton, and we could end up with 5mill instead of twenty, but it may suit us better to do that, instead of going for the biggest shilling

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

Way i see it Wath, Barca want Cesc on the cheap, i see that as a no no. Cesc wants to go there supposedly. Whats to say Barca has not said to Cesc Play up a bit and we will put a cheap offer in, and because they think your so unhappy they will let you go and we can pay you more, fcuk em they want him let them pay the price its fair

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

Yeh maybe your right, but they have got on my fcuking nerves every transfer window, i have got to the stage where i know he’s going to go but i dont like it at Barca’s terms.

allezkev
allezkev
14 years ago

Have to agree WATH re Diaby…….. Absolute donkey ๐Ÿ˜€

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

I see them as a cheating bunch, granted they play good football but they get every decision going they dive all over the place, referee’s give them everything and they have cheated us nearly everytime we have played them all this UNICEF flag waveing crap may go down with Blatter and he’s crooked mobsters but it don’t go down with me, i’de keep Cesc for the whole of his contract if they don’t come up with the forty mill, and let them have him when he’s three years older, i wouldn’t give them Jack shit

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

Hi, AK where you been you old sod,
Evening Rico, glad to hear your old dear is a little better.

Joaquim moreira
Joaquim moreira
14 years ago

lansbury out?
brrrrrrrrrr
I’m afraid of the season, really…

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

He call’s it he’s Spandex go faster zimmer

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

Whats the crack about Lansbury, he must have done somthing or said somthing very unlike Wenger not to give him more time, the last time i saw Henri is when he scored against the filth, has he played since then

allezkev
allezkev
14 years ago

Hey Wath. I’m still watching you… ๐Ÿ™‚

allezkev
allezkev
14 years ago

Bloody mental traffic in London today.
Doing allthe roadworks before the Olympics.
Next year driving in London at this time of year, will be a nightmare.
So stay away…u

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

I can only imagine somthing amiss with him, as i cannot see Wenger just let him go, i read that he may be off with a price tag of a mill with sell on clauses, am i right was it Lansbury

stevepalmer1
stevepalmer1
14 years ago

Thats me done nte all.

allezkev
allezkev
14 years ago

I saw him at Stevenage. Worked his nuts off, but it wasn’t happening for him.
I hope he doesn’t go, but it don’t look as if he’s gonna get a chance.
Ok, back to work. See you guys in a few days.

Will
Will
14 years ago

Where is everyone?