Few bits of gossip this morning before yesterday’s match review.
The Mail on Sunday reckon we are going to make a shock £10 million move for Liverpool’s out-of-favour winger Stewart Downing. Well if that happens, I think every Arsenal fan will be in more than shock. He was well over priced at £20 million, and many would say he still is at £10 million.
The Huntelaar story is around again, ex-Liverpool striker Erik Meyer, who has the same agent (Arnold Oosterveer) as the Dutch striker, told The Sunday Mirror:
According to the information I have, Huntelaar will be gone in the winter. Arsenal are the favourites.
Some believe he is ready for this move now because RvP has gone and as we all know, they don’t get on. Wouldn’t it be great if he joined and went onto score a lot more goals than the man we left behind!
Finally in the gossip is Arshavin. He’s heading back to Zenit in January for £3 million. That is of course if we are to believe what is in the news..
Scott has kindly written today’s post about the Aston Villa game..
Morning all
Straight into the game.
On the negative side of things, well, we were scrappy in our passing game, devoid of useful attacking options and basically flat.
If you choose to look for factors,reasons or excuses,there are some legitimate ones to be found.
The pitch was wet and the ball was skidding around….not really a pitch conducive to our style of game.
Our attacking options ended up being a certain player whose name I am sick of mentioning constantly, finding himself within range, yet some poor finishing, good defending and a keepers boot put paid to the lad in question coming up with the winning goal.
Giroud toiled with little effect. Podolski likewise.
The biggest disappointment of the entire game for me was our woeful, horrible and disgraceful attempts to get a decent cross in which kind of put paid to our “plan B” of the big Frenchman up front.
As for being flat,well I think you get a decent insight into how well our team is up for the contest in the first two minutes.
Movement on and off the ball was sluggish from the very start,and it never really improved as the match went on,though there were little spurts of energy in the dying stages….as usual.
Let us also give credit and praise to Villa.
Anyone who watched them recently against Man Utd will vouch for the fact that we aren’t the only top side (am I being kind with that appraisal) who they have managed to nullify in no small way. They are a very hard-working, industrious team, who, in all honesty, would have been hard done by to lose yesterday.
On to the positive side of things.
Szczesny did well with what he had served up to him. His save from Holman was very good but one he should make. He had little else to do, really. The back 4 actually did very well and never really looked in trouble. The offside, disallowed goal was a clear one, so not a problem at all there.
Our midfield were definitely stifled by Villas work rate but we still lacked spark at all and that is disappointing. I thought our midfielders looked much better after half time as the game opened up and there could be an argument to say that they did create opportunities, but poor delivery by our wide men killed them off.
The biggest positive was that the game showed not only how much we missed Jack,but just how good he is. It was there for all to see that his energy and ability on the ball could have,and probably would have,grabbed that game by the throat just when it was needed.
The guy is a superstar,he is back,he is a Gooner and he is OURS!!
Plenty complained about why Ramsey played instead of Jack and I wondering why do people, and I am talking in general here, contradict themselves so often? How many times have we all said we hope Wenger takes Jack along slowly? He has had a hell of a lot of time away from the game and needs to be treated with kid gloves, so missing the odd game here and there means Wenger is doing exactly what we want??
One game out every now and again can be the difference between getting a good season out of him,or losing him for another 18 months and we can not have it both ways.
Gervinho came on for Podolski, the latter seems to always be the first one off but he has played a lot recently.
Coquelin came on for Giroud! Sorry, I have nothing at all on that one!!!!
Arshavin for Oxlade-Chamberlain which was a fair call, although the little Russian did little, but in all fairness, OC didn’t do a lot either..
Still,Ox is showing some signs of getting back to his best. It has all been a bit much too soon for the kid,and we really need to be careful when expecting too much from him – he is a baby and has a lot of football in front of him.
All in all, a very fair result against a very resilient side and another clean sheet. That is 2 in a row and counting 🙂
Rosicky will be back soon, Jack will be well rested and fresh next time out and Diaby will be back in January, just like a new signing!!
See, you bastards are turning even the most positive of Aussies into a cynic now!! 😉
Written by Scott from Oz
Thanks Rico….i wrote that early this morning and justr ealised i renamed Ox the Oc…….can you amend it pleae??
Evening all.
Morning all.
Thanks Scott for writing something about yesterdays game.
Personally, I thought it was awful. I started to write something last night but gave up after:
Are fans right, does Wenger really not know what he’s doing any more??
Well bringing off Olivier Giroud and replacing him with Francis Coquelin when we were trying to grab a goal at the end, did make me wonder. I’d have rather seen Thomas Vermaelen come on and stick him up front if Giroud was injured.
But then maybe that’s why I’m not earning £7 Million a year!
Arsene Wenger was subjected to chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” from the Arsenal away fans yesterday, and that’s unlike them. To be honest, the home side looked like they would steal all three points and but Wojciech Szczesny, they would have done and no-one would have been able to begrudge them that.
We were awful again, no pace, no crosses in for the big French striker and all out of ideas. Aston Villa shut us down quickly and we couldn’t do anything about it. We really were all out of attacking ideas and managed just one shot on target!!
A performance typical of Arsenal on a cold, wet, dark night away from home but this one wasn’t too far up North.
‘We want our Arsenal back’ could also be heard in full voice but as Tony Adams said, the fans need to make clear which Arsenal they want back. But I got the impression he knew what the fans meant….
He also said:
There was a lack of penetration and a lack of urgency. I don’t think they put a cross in for the big lad [Giroud] in the middle all day.
That’s as far as I got……
Morning Scott – OC = Oxlade-Chamberlain 😉
You are spot on about Jack by the way, and i’m glad he didn’t come on.
We all know he’d fight tooth and nail for that winning goal and that’s when a ‘vulnerable’ player can suffer injury….
As I keep saying, we should have a deeper squad…
Yes,Rico.
The killer is that we are bringing Coquelin on?
Were we protecting the point??
It is the only logical conclusion that could be drawn,but not an understandable one.
Plenty question the players efforts,but i disagree with that…they put in,imo.
Nice save on the OC….love it 🙂
The effort? Well, looking at some of them, I’d say they were lacking effort. But how many have played so many games now, and the travelling for International matches can’t have helped.
They have to be tired. Again though that is down to us having a weak squad, players can’t be rested as those behind them really aren’t good enough….
Was it Coq who wasted a really good chance at the end when he blasted the ball across the area and out instead of a pull back to a better positioned player?
Yes,it was Coquelin.
Yes,we need more players of good calibre.
Forget Zaha…..get some experienced pros.
And get rid of a few who are taking a wage for training, pay them off and get gone….
Experience yes, Downing, no 😉
The Downing rumours must be a joke!!
Good post scott
Old wenger….
We all now know that he tried to sign a keeper(Qpr)
We all now know that he tried to sign a striker (Everton)
We all now know that we need a defensive midfield player (diaby is out till january)
We all now know that we need a left-back(santos not good enough)
We all now know that the wenger thinks the away fans can think what they like..because his got 30 years experience.
Well arsene
We all now know that we as fans new all this at the beginning of the season,and it looks like you did to.
I hope so Scott, but you never know…..
Fred – AW certainly got a bit hot under the collar after the game didn’t he…
But he must know that when the away fans turn, things are not good….
The Giroud x Coquelin swap made me wonder,i must admit.
Good morning all,
Good evening Scott,
I didn’t see the game and have only read a couple of reports, which didn’t say much except that the Arsenal fans were getting at the manager and the team selection was a bit odd.
We have all been complaining for quite a while now about how our players are seemingly not “up” for certain games, well I think they are taking their lead from the manager. It must say something about how seriously Wenger was taking yesterday’s game that he left Wilshire on the bench and played bloody Ramsey in his place.
To compound his team selection errors Wenger then made, what seems to me to be a ludicrous decision to take off a striker and replace him with a somewhat inferior mid-fielder, just when we needed to go for a goal. Unbelievable!
On a lighter note, My Breaking News comment yesterday appears to be accurate in most respects, Old ‘Arry is reported to be after Beckham, Crouch and Defoe, OK not Red Rum and Shergar yet, but give him time! 😀
Morning all,
Very good report Scott, for a guy that is all ways upbeat with your comments, i can understand how even you find it dificult to find positives. What you have written in your post sums the game up well, your right in what you said about Villa in all honesty they probably deserved more from the game than 1 point, but you were also right when you said we did enough to keep them at bay. At the end of the day Villa are in the position in the league that they deserve and we are really higher than we deserve, many will disagree with that statement but you can’t please everybody. Our substitutions as usual never made us better, bringing on le coq, gerve, and Arshavin was not like we were trying to win the game it was only to save players legs, both sides never did enough to actually win the game, and as the game reached its finally both teams were quite happy for a point, Your right Scott the weather and the pitch were dificult to play on but the result was pittyfull, yes we have players to come back it seems we always say that sentance but the truth of the matter is, we have not got depth in talent that you need to win games like this. Our game in midweek was very similar to this game we were rushed from the start and hounded, we have no answers to this style. Shut certain players up and our game goes to pieces, we have never had a Plan-B we struggle to find Plan-A and untill we do we will stay a wanna be club.
Morning rico
Having dropped tommy(captain) last night what statement was wenger making..surely the captains the first name down even if he his…….out of form.
I remember when george took over he made tony captain straight away.
I would love to see wenger make jack captain now.
I could be wrong,but i thought Vermaelen and Jack were simply rested.
I think if we had got some decent crosses into the box,and we had our share of chances,things may well have been different.
Fred,
No way should Wilshire be made capatin, the kid’s got enough on his plate as it is. Just let him find his fitness and form, then he can assume his role as Arsenal’s taxi, carrying the team!
Morning Gooners.
Just warming up my engine.
Morning Rico, a nice sunny, crisp day.
Scott, well done mate, that post was to the point, a good read, bonzer even…
Notice that the Press are onto Wenger about the chants of “you don’t know what your doing”….
Never miss a trick do they? A bunch of vultures savaging for scraps.
Morning JW, hopefully he’ll want Friedel too then we can get Cesar 😉
I am off to be guys.
Have a great day,and keep the faith!!!
Thanks for the kind words guys….later!!
I don’t think Vermaelen was dropped Fred, rested ahead of Everton on Wednesday.
Morning Steve & Kev.. Crisp and bright here too, at last, but more rain due 🙁
Kieran Gibbs was a huge loss for us. He makes us look alot more sure in defence and his pace and passing is top notch. He has really come on miles this season. Keeping him fit is a must. On a bleak day for us he seemed to be a bright spark for us.
Jenkinson is a long way off Sagna. I think he will be a great defender, but his going forward and crosses are poor.
Giroud, Podolski & Santi looked tired, hopefully with Everton coming up they can find something from somewhere. Jack cannot be replaced by Ramsey. The differences in the players are massive. Jack is a superstar as you said, but Ramsey just hasn’t got it. I like Ramsey, but he’s just too slow and his decision making is way off!!
Anywho, onwards and upwards as they say.
Great post,
Enjoyable reading at it’s best.
Night Scott and thanks again…
I have to go to for a few hours, out for lunch. Back mid afternoon…
Have a good day all…
Rico,
Not sure about Cesar, he must have a bad back from bending down to pick the ball out of his net so often. 🙂
Morning all….. If you look at the demise of our squad it’s a joke, 2004 the Invincibles, 2006 CL final, 2008 4 points off winning the PL and 2012……..well we saw how shite they were last night!!
Constantly selling our best players if so boring but can you honestly blame these players wanting to leave, because I can’t! I want Arsenal to show ambition, if that means spending some cash then do it! As for the 4th being like a trophy I’ve never heard such a load of bollocks in my life!! If AW believes that then he should be replaced, us fans want to win things not make up the numbers!
As for the Downing rumours, what a shite player he is, check his last season stats out… £20m transfer, no goals and no assists!
Rant over….
Coquelin was broght in to enable arteta move further up since we were lacking creativity. Gervinho had to move to the center and Arshavin took his place at lw after Girouds’s sustitution.
We fought at every position except the right flank who let us down badly. Jenkinson is superb defensively but rather than add to our attack, he removes from it. He also makes forward passes look like rocket science.
On the Ox, sometimes i have this feeling that he is over-hyped. Can’t he make simple passes or better still cross the ball to Giroud instead of trying to impress with Maradonic runs that still end up with back passes? How we missed Theo and Bacary Sagna.
Our undoing was simply the right flank and lack of good dept. Arteta ought to be rested if we had capable back-up.
Even the manager has some blame to shoulder. Must we pass and pass and pass in the final third? If passes are not working and quality crosses are not delivered, can’t they shoot once the post is at sight, the golkeeper can spill it and our strikers can now enjoy the spoils in the resultant panic. The shot can also RICOchet into the goal post you know.
Bring on Everton, gunners for life.
Good point re: Verm, Rico…
But protecting a point could be the answer for Coquelin coming on?!
Downing!!! I almost choked on my Weetabix…
But then again, he does put over a mean cross, very much in the style of Brian Marwood.
He’ll never be a goalscorer, but that’s not his strength.
Giroud missed the service that Walcott has supplied recently.
Now if we could retain Theo and have Downing, we’d have two wingers pinging the ball over for Giroud & maybe … Huuntelaar?
Welcome PeterB, good to see you here, Scott will catch your comment about the post later, thanks on his behalf though….
That was jenks worst game for crossing, but usually he is reliable. His pace and strength in defending is very good though. I honestly believe he will be a central defender in a couple of years time, and for me, our future captain….
Had to be Kev, desperate though eh 😉
But if Giroud was injured, no point in keeping him on…
Morning Lee…
Morning all…
It was a decent draw lets get over it.
Fred, AW also made a bid for Cheikhou Kouyaté of Anderlecht as a DM but he decided to play in their qualifier to help the Belgians qualifier for the champions league instead. He also tried to sign Mapou as a LB/ CB but he preferred AC to us.
This fickle point of views has to stop. I posted a interview Paddy Vieira gave to the sun before he left but most ignored that because it does not fit their agenda. Those always complaining about signings etc how do you know AW does not spend what he has?In 2005 we had £25M to spend in the summer and in 2011 according to PHW we had £25M to spend. Bearing in mind that amount includes the first year salary why dont the fans who want Pep to come and manage us do so with that budget and see where we found ourselves.
Got to dash, later folks…
Goodmorning gunnersphere,
Just watch the match again. Giroud was substituted 3mins after receiving a knock. AW made the right call to substitute him. The team played well under such dreadful and treacherous condition. The pitch was slicky and our plan B didn’t work. There was no descent crossing coming from the wing to create problems in villa’s 6yard box(Plan B).
good post by the way Scott. One of the few constant positive posters on here.
Those signing we want our Arsenal back, Big Tony asked a very good question on ESPN before the game. Which Arsenal do you want back? The 78 Arsenal or the 1-0 Arsenal or the Arsenal AW first built?
Even Tony said no other manager can do better than AW with the budget.
Morning Lee and Tsgh….
Can’t really disagree there Lee, not one bit.
Will things change now we have some money??
Def gone now…
And those always slating Ramse,y 4-4-2 and opta stats state he is the player who has played the most through balls to the front third in a single match since SC19’s best performance against the saints in September.
Uzo – You perfectly summed up Arsenal’s play 😉
Jenks is an understudy and will improve the attacking aspect of his game. Like I said yesterday we missed Walcott. Ox is a descent backup player but needs to put in descent crossing
tsGH,
Do those stats say whether the through balls actually reached an Arsenal player? I seem to recall any number of his “hail Mary” passes going straight into touch or being so far in advance of his target that there was no chance of getting onto them.
JW- 72/80 compared to 66/69 for the next player Arteta. The third attacking player was Merts with 49 forward but Kozzer was the 2nd most effective player for us.
Never seen AW so angry in a press conference for a long time like he was yesterday. The media where trying to create a rift b/w Wenger and the fans.
https://twitter.com/TheSunFootball/status/272510147807563776
Morning all.
We are consistently proving we are no longer one of the top clubs in the prem. I’d say there is a big 3 now not a big 4. We are no better than the clubs around us in the league, Everton next, never an easy game but this year I’d say they are the favourites. Yesterday’s performance was so abject and devoid of any ideas, I was so bored i turned it off after 70 mins as I just new we didn’t have it in us to win, more likely villa would nick it(as they nearly did) and I couldn’t bring myself to watch that and ruin my Saturday night.
Nice post Scott, as one of the most positive among us, when you are downbeat and struggling to find positives we know it must be bad.
Hiya all….no one truly knows what AW has to spend BUT we could start with some simple housekeeping, lets stop rewarding mediocre players with £50k pw contracts. Get shot of the deadwood asap. I don’t think the players that get constantly slated are particularly shite it’s they’re just not good enough to play for Arsenal. We are supposed to be a big club so why not start acting like one? Downing you gotta be shitting me, we should surely set our sights higher than players of his ilk.
I saw that last night. I have heard he wants to leave this summer. The board I am sure will provide him with funds this January to at least keep him on board. As I have said numerous times AW only talks to IG at the board level. PHW can’t stand him because AW is still close to DD. He lost faith in the board when the Nasri and VP sale was sanctioned without his approval.
Those bashing AW should ask themselves why AW is the one who has to negotiate with potential buyers to get more for the club according to RedNose whilst we have a board who are willing to sell to any club who come in with £10M?
Lee,
The problem is the high wages we are paying the deadwood, nobody wants them at any price. The only way to be rid of them is to is to buy them out of their contracts and let them go as free agents, unfortunately the compensation payments will eat into the transfer fund.
I agree about Downing, he’s deadwood before we sign him.
Lewis – I don’t see a big 3 but 2. 3rd and 4th spot is up for grab. Don’t think Chelsea is as strong as what people make them to be except they add a top striker in Jan
I hear you JW,
Who’s been advocating these contracts? Why is our wage bill so high? We could pay a player like Falcao £150/200k pw if we got rid of all the shite we pay good money to. It’s beggar’s belief what goes on at AFC it truly is…….
Your probably right emma.
Agreed lee. The wages bendtner, djourou, squill, chamakh, etc are on is criminal. Our wage bill is that of a club that should be winning trophies, we are massively under achieving because we have paid dross top dollar.
You’d probably disagree on squilli I tho huh?! Maybe he’s underpaid 😉
Good morning hh…
I noticed that Guardiola, or ‘those’ talking on his behalf, don’t mention Arsenal as a possible destination…
Could that be that Saint Pep isn’t a miricle worker and couldn’t do any better on the budget that the Arsenal Board provide?
Pep is no different to Mancini, Mourinho, and all the other ‘Big time Charlie’ managers.
That is, they’ll only join clubs that have billionaire ‘sugar daddies’, so they can indulge in some ‘spend, spend, spend’….
Which team has a better 4th choice CB than Djourou? Squid was a 3 times championship winner with Lyon and playing for Sevilla who were in Europe. How much did we expect to pay for such players?
Kev- Pep and Mourinho have never built a team in their career.
Some say Maurenho built the CL winning team at Porto but it was SAntos and later Machado who built that team. At Inter, Mancini and inherited a team built by Cuper and then Maureen inherited Mankini’s team. Where is Inter now after all those manager who placed their reputation before the long term interest of the club?
In Peps case he inherited a team built by Radomir Antić and later Frank Rijkaard. Rijkaard won 5 trophies in 6 years and was still sacked even though before that Barca had gone 7 years without winning a trophy.
Hi Ginge, what does that say about Barca..?
Didn’t Real Madrid famously sack a manager, the summer following that manager winning the Champions League…
Only in Spain…..
Only at the Chavs as well then AK….
Pls go wash your mouth out as well… Downing….???? As Mr McEnroe would say “You cannot be serious” The bloke is a yard dog…!
If there ain’t better wingers out there for 10 million quid i’m giving up watching footie…! He is utter shit, end of.
Oh and afternoon all 🙂
Not mentioning anything that went on yesterday as it just ruins my week.
Ginge, referring to your 11.47, maybe the best thing for all concerned, is that Wenger does resign this summer…
Then we’ll finally see?!!!
Bet ya the Board suddenly find £70/£80 million for the ‘new man’….
Not least to save their arses, to sell season tickets and try to divert attention away from them….
Ok Wath, I will give way to you on the Downing question, for now… 😉
And I suspect Pep is smarter than that to take on the chavs job. As I said before Marina was sighted with Pep in NY together even though the media are clueless of it or did not report it due to where they were spotted.
My fear for us now is that AW is going to resign but with this board still in charge, God help us…
Tbh Wath, when I first read the Downing rumour I kinda thought…
Eddie McGoldrick, er Jimmy Carter and not to be forgotten Glen Helder…
Hi WATH having a good weekend apart from your second love Arsenal?
You have an interesting point there Kev ….at 1:07.
On wingers the Peruvian Farfan of Schalke is possibly in his last year too as he joined them in 2008 😉
But I also recall Downing as a youngster, playing for Middlesborough at Highbury, and putting over some superb, pinpoint crosses…
I’m sure that crossing ability is still in there somewhere Wath…
Being a failure at Liverpool isn’t just down to him…
He looked ok at Aston Villa before his inflated £20million move to Anfield.
On winning titles AW will never understand why players want to win a title because he did not have a very long playing career even though he won the league title with Strasbourg.
I was thinking Gervinho actually AK 😉
There have certainly been a couple eh mate…………. The young ones are reading those and thinking “Who”…?
Afternoon Ts, I am sort of with AK on Wenger resigning…. Watch the board shit their pants and all of a sudden release ALL the funds that are in the bank for a new manager because no one in their right mind would take the job without the guarantee that ALL the funds were available for transfers or not, that’s either Arsene’s problem that he hasn’t demanded the funds or he happy not to take…? either way it’s wrong but that’s a tired old story that we all been going on about for years.
We were outbid by the scousers before Downing moved to Liverpoo
Ginge, do you rate Huuntelaar?
I’m not sure myself, but if Arsenal are developing a more direct game, aimed at Giroud’s forehead, then having back-up for OG12 would make sense..
I would not mind Rijkaard taking over at all.
Wath, I will give Gervinho a bit more time before consigning him to the Helder group of winger’s…
For all of Gerv’s unorthodoxy, he’s scored a few goal’s this season and might still surprise us…., or not, as the case may be… 😉
Never really considered him tbh Ginge…
Is he out of work…?
What’s Bruce Rioch doing these days???
He’s a Hill-Wood pick, so that’s what we have to look forward too…
I heard we never went for Downing at all Ts….! All made up paper rubbish..!
The way he keeps falling over AK and running round like a headless chicken he’s heading towards the Helder group rapidly in my book
When Wenger goes I think I might join Sir Stevo, and take up fishing.
AW is flaking Kev. OG12 scorede only 1 goal with his head with the French Stoke Utd.
Huntelaar is an enigma. He scored 8 goals in 20 at RM and 7 in 25 at AC but he was injured and considered a failure at both sides. Will he suit our style I will say No. We do not have a younger AA or Song or the great DB10 in our team to supply him with the type of goals we need. Personally, I think we need a Tevez or Suarez type of player. AW knows this I suspect that is why he has tried to turn forehead into a striker but he is the only player I nknow who scores 3 goals in 2 matches and still lack confidence.
Not much wrong with Rioch AK, he did well after the dross GG left him and of course he got us DB10…..! HE did well that season to get us back into Europe…! Rather shafted by the board I reckon and gets a lot of stick for no real reason. Ppl really forget how shit we were that previous season.
Are, but that’s just the subtleties of his game Wath.
Then when he’s convinced the opposition that he’s an idiot, he pounces…
Wath, I’m trying my best here… 😀
Ah shit, back to work…
Kev, Frank is in Saudi. He finished 3rd at Galatasaray but was sacked and replaced by the legend Hagi.
Huntelaar has a shit attitude AK, BUT the bloke knows where the net is for sure…! Would he add to our squad I’d say a big yes… thats also as long as wenger don’t play him left or right wing..????
I’m also off, the pub calls as people need my presence !! Later people and have a great afternoon.
Wath, not sure that Rioch had anything to do with the signings of Bergkamp and Platt…
Think those deals had more to do with Dein tbh…
As for the fag-end of GG, no I haven’t forgotten mate…
That’s why, as bad as it’s perceived now, it’s all sunshine and beer compared to the mid-1990’s…
When we had to win a few games to stave off a relegation fight if I recall…
The ‘Good Old Days’ eh mate…
Gone now..
The board are shite with or without DD.
I am sure you will remember this PV interview he gave before he left Arsenal. It shows some of our fans are too fickle and have a short memory.
PATRICK VIEIRA has launched a blistering attack on Arsenal, making it impossible for him to stay at Highbury.
The Frenchman has broken his silence by lashing boss Arsene Wenger, vice-chairman David Dein — and even his team-mates.
But Vieira insisted last night: “People should know this is nothing to do with money. I need to leave because I want to win more trophies and I just cannot see that happening at Arsenal. Certainly not over the next few years, anyway.
“Comparing Arsenal to the big clubs in Europe this season is going to be quite ridiculous.”
Dein and his fellow directors remain adamant their £25million-rated midfielder is not for sale at any price — and that he must respect the remaining three years of his contract.
But Vieira, 25, has deliberately burned all his bridges and insists there will be no turning back in his drive to move on to bigger and better things.
Speaking from his holiday hideaway in Miami, the World Cup and Euro 2000 star stormed: “As far as I’m concerned, the matter is resolved. I am leaving Arsenal and I have made that perfectly clear.
“When I told Arsene Wenger I was leaving, he said to me ‘I have £25m to spend on a few players’.
“My answer was ‘Obviously, Mr Wenger, you are not shopping in Harrods. That will only buy you one good player’. Now I have been proved right.”
Arsenal have already splashed £18.5m on landing Everton striker Francis Jeffers and Rangers midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
They are still in the hunt for Sol Campbell and plan further deals to capture Ipswich goalkeeper Richard Wright and Japanese midfielder Junichi Inamoto from J-League club Gamba Osaka.
Vieira, though, remains distinctly unimpressed.
He added: “Arsene Wenger has signed two ‘hopeful’ players who haven’t proved themselves in the Premiership yet. One of them is a boy of 20.
“You can’t compete with the best clubs in Europe by making these kind of signings.”
Vieira believes the rot started to set in last summer — when the Gunners agreed to sell Marc Overmars and Emmanuel Petit to Barcelona in a joint £30m deal.
He added: “It’s a miracle that we finished second in the league last season.
“I have said it before and I will say it again now — you don’t sell your best players.
“That was why it was a miracle that we got through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
“This season Leeds, Chelsea and Liverpool will be signing new players and will be automatically stronger and better than last season.
“I do not honestly see Arsenal finishing in the top five in the league — and you can forget the Champions League.
“Arsene Wenger is an ambitious manager and he knows deep in his heart that he needs five world-class players to compete among the best in Europe.
“With £25m in the kitty, Arsenal is not a great European club. With that budget they won’t even be among the top 20 clubs in Europe.
“The people at Arsenal know in the backs of their minds that they have a new stadium to build and that will hold them back when it comes to making big new signings.”
Vieira, in Florida with girlfriend Sheryl and agent Marc Roger, is just as angry at the comments of Arsenal team-mates who have pleaded with him not to quit Highbury.
He rapped: “I cannot understand why players like Robert Pires, Thierry Henry, Sylvain Wiltord and Gilles Grimandi are saying I should stay. I have given 100 per cent to Arsenal over the last five years. They have only been there for a year or so.
“They have won nothing with Arsenal. They should stay and try to win things for the club before they open their mouths.
“My message to these players is that they have their lives and I have mine.
“Maybe after five years with Arsenal they will be saying the same things that I am saying now.
“Perhaps they will be talking about movement and a change of environment like me.
“But first they must prove themselves before they are entitled to a move. They haven’t produced anything for Arsenal yet.
“I will join a club that has the same ambitions as me — a club that is going to win everything.
“That is why I ask Pires and Grimandi and the rest of the Arsenal players to be quiet, mind their own business and respect Patrick Vieira’s ambitions and decisions.”
Vieira is upset at attempts to blame his agent for manufacturing a move in order to pocket £3.5m in commission.
And he claims the club have a “two-faced” attitude to the transfer market.
He added: “Arsenal are no different to any other club when it comes to the transfer process. When they don’t want a player, they will make contact with other clubs and try to sell him.
“This summer they are going to do exactly that. I know they are trying to sell one of the best players in the world.
“So I find it strange when David Dein says I am not for sale and should not be contacted by anyone.
“There have been crazy reports about my agent in some newspapers that I want to correct.
“It is ridiculous to criticise Marc. He has been my best friend since I was a boy of 19 at Cannes.
“He had great players then and we became close friends. I am the godfather to his little daughter. So Marc and I have a special relationship which started before football came into it.
“Now some people have tried to discredit him. He is the managing director of the FIFA-registered agency Fidustar and he works with one of the most respectable solicitors in the football world.
“Marc has handled more than 150 transfers, 15 of them in England.
“One newspaper said Marc will get £3.5m as commission from my transfer. That is not true.
“That will be my signing-on fee, not the commission. Marc will get only 10 per cent of my salary.
“That’s how strong our friendship is. Money does not come into it.
“He renewed and improved my contract twice with Arsenal in the last five years.
“But I told Marc ‘not this time, I want to leave’.
“That is the reality of the situation. And I want people to know the truth.
“I will always remember my time at Arsenal — but I am going.”
Do me a favour.
Replace PV by RVP and read again. It will take you as close to the truth one can possibly be.
Afternoon Gunners.
Thanks Scott for peeling yesterday’s grapefruit distinctly.
hey DG, whats good?
Ginge
Once is coincidence, twice is reoccurring but third and beyond are patterns. Or as our board like to frame it ‘policy’.
Ohh, off topic, please stop calling Emma scoucer. She earned her stars and stripes here.
Hi DG, DNA how’s it going
tsGH i’m good, watching liverpool vs swans
Exactly DG some might argue PV was not a captain in 2001 and he stayed for 4 more years.
Hiya DNA
Not too well. I’m contemplating. Reluctantly has to be said, to push for earthquake change non-stop. No more patience, no more plastering over the cracks. Like Rome once, set fire to all comfort and built a new empire on its ruins.
Same here DNA, I was meant to go to the bridge with my neighbour today but I decided to watch the magic-box instead. Toulouse at 5 will be interesting too.
😀 who will be the Barrabas to burn ‘our Rome’?
I understand DG and tsGH, i think long and hard about the current situation at the club and i’m wondering if its just lack of enough individuals with proper football brain is the reason we are struggling.
Hello there!
Giroud was replaced because is tired and injury. We need a player for secure the midfield wher Arteta was completely tired too. After this replace, we were over the game again and we can won it. A few questions:
a)Why we were playng with Gervinho on the left and AA on the right? Gervinho usully use the right foot;AA usually use the left foot…so, both always went inside and “stopped” the game
b) Why do we play always with Podolsky on the left? He isn’t a winger; he his nor fast enought; he doesn´t cross; he is strong enought for playing in the area with Giroud; compare the double Sagna/Walcott;Sagna/Gervinho;Gibbs/Gervinho;Gibbs/AA and you ask yourself, about the improve Gibbs/Podorsky or Santos/Podorksky.
c) We always playing in a predictable way. yesterday, we could shot, maybe 6 times outside area in a good position and we didn’t try it.
d) We can buying players on January but for me, the mean question is the way we playing. We don’t play like a block, we haven’t enought chances and always we have he stange feeling we are not so strong then we think we are.
tsGH where in England u stay?
why there is so many talented players sitting on the sidelines in man city when they should be playing on a weekly basic.
Afternoon folks, just going to catch up….
I’m in Surrey just outside South London
So we don’t want Downing then, thank goodness for that!!
I think calling him a yard dog is an insult to the animal Wath…
tsGH i’m thinking to swap my location from the us to London, giving it some serious though.
AW hardly buys players with footballing brain or should I say want to make it into management. Most of AW ex-players are now pundits whilst RedNose has had several ex-players plying their trade as managers.
That explains why when things are going wrong on the pitch no one is able to use their initiative to sure things up until AW changes things during the break. At other teams they have players who can see the bigger picture to tell a younger player to just hold his position etc.
Interesting what sort of industry do you work in DNA?
Hi Rico. You are back…?
DNA/Ginge
Every weekend feels like visiting my medical specialist while I dread the life-expectancy prognosis days before.
History has proven when the echelons fail to stamp their authority the common man speaks as one. We’re on the cusp of revolt and it won’t be pretty.
Hi JM you have a point but the players are not going to gain that mentality without winning a trophy…
If AW wants a GK, he does not have to look far. Shay Given is second choice to Villa’s gk yesterday and considering he is around 30
@tsGH homeland security
vida i don’t want shay Given at afc, if its not the guy from qpr, swans or newcastle, i will prefer scz in goal. All the other keepers in the pl are blunder bags
I am Tsgh…
Any news re Giroud?
Interesting DNA. You would not be able to do the same here with the requirement to get SC or DV clearance in this country. Similar to your SCI and ANACI clearances.
Are you a British pp holder?
DG i hope things get better before a riot.
No news is good news Rico.
Vorm for me Vida. Given is past it…
Chelsea to beat City today??
Should be good….
i know tsGH i was even considering the military, my aunt use to live in London and i still have some relatives there but i don’t keep contact, they all use to bring me cfc jersey when i was living in Jamaica years ago
We are playing 3 at the back against Everton I am hearing…
We are stuffed if he is out for Wednesday and beyond….
I was in the military ages ago. Its good I had some of the best times with the Jamaicans whilst in the forces here. How old are you by the way?
@tsgh 32, but i did 9 years in the military in ja
Personally the selection yesterday showed AW is changing at snail pace. I think it will be suicidal if we lose against Everton that is why I believe AW was correct in resting the players he did imho. Even a draw against them will make them doubt how superior they are against us.
man city bench players should be starting, they have a powerful squad and a clue less manager
From who re Everton??
I take it you ‘mean’ five at the back including the left and right back?
I believe you have a year more to go for certain groups ie infantry but 43 for the support groups. If you have other skills |I would suggest the RAF if you can.
http://www.army.mod.uk/armoured/regiments/5417.aspx
thanks tsGH, i would not do infantry again
Yes Rico. The way Kozzer handled Benteke was full of encouragement for the dress rehearsal against Jelavic and Fellani. If any of our RWers turn up we will have a lot of joy on their left because contrary to what the media say Baines is not as good as they make him out to be.
Most West Indians join the medical corps or Royal logistics…
When he stops selling our best players and signs a couple more experienced ones I’ll think he’s changed…….
ok tsGH
My own view is that Everton will be a much harder game, and Fellani is better than anything Villa threw at us….
this chelsea manager is not going to last, drop the wrong defender, Davi Luiz is not a defender. He still don’t like english players..
I’m not sure I agree re Baines, but it’s only personal opinion …
@DNA infantry in the Army with exercises on the Brecons is enough to make you want to sling your hook. 😉 I once did an exercise with the 3 Commando’s in Norway in the winter and I still thought it is colder in the Welsh Moors than in Norway… 😀
If you are serious let me know when you decide and I will advice on suitable regiments/corps etc
rico baines is not that good as the media have him to be
But if he gets Torres ticking gdna, they’ll score more than any other team 😉
😀 Benteke has won more aerial duels than any player in the league.
ok tsGH, i will keep you posted. I was suppose to come on exercise calypso hops there once but i didn’t get the chance.
I think he is gdna, like i said though, just my view….
rico torres only chance to play better is to come to afc
Selling our best players? Haven’t we always sold our best players from Liam Brady to VP the list is endless.
i hope vp was the last 1 tsGH
man city is all over cfc
LLorente is lazy. Bilbao 1 up.
The MU, turned yesterday for the 13th time this season the score.
Saints 2 up against Newcastle. Cabaye anyone?
isn’t he injured tsGH?
Why we not try Nani on January?
good call JM…
Hes playing today.
http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/athletic-bilbao/live-commentary/live-commentary-athletic-bilbao-1-0-deportivo-la-coruna_56305.html
JM 100k p/w? we have too many luxury players..
Don’t they always JM, that’s what winning does, it breeds winning…
I’d rather we didn’t sign players who are already injured, and Cabaye is one of them…
No thanks to Nani either JM…
Plus refs help…
whats gone wrong with torres career? omg
Capoue is bossing the midfield at the moment against Lyon. He is not holding though. why?
that’s their biggest help tsGH.
I’m not agree. Nani will be a good target. He will add a touch of class to the team. What Torres did not give.
Anyway, three names for the future:
a) Fernandinho (DM-Schacktar)
b) William (midfield – Schaktar)
c) Eliseu – (left back – Malaga)
ashley cole is the best lb in the world, world class, ex gooner..lol
Torres career went downhill the day Benitez left Liverpool….
He is DNA. We all thought we have a better deal exchanging him for Gallas
DNA do you rate M. Sissoko of Toulouse?
yes tsGH and favorite guy capoue..lol
JM, The only way I see us getting him would be if Fergie wanted Theo in Jan.
He’s not my cup of tea though….
I don’t know anyone who thought we had the better deal getting gallas, I was livid and really peed off when we allowed Cole to go….
Nany will leave MU on January or in the end of the season
Ha ha ha DNA. I dont understand why Capoue has changed his style this season. He has become like poor man’s Gerald or PV of 2003-2005 than a Makele or Tiote.
Agree there JM, he marked his card in the C1 Cup 😆
You must have been one of the few exception Rico. DD even said the £5M plus Gallas deal was better than offering Cashley the £90k or so he wanted, even though we ended up paying Gallas more than what Cole wanted.
So those always blaming AW, please remember even with DD in charge we were still a selling club.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/5251684.stm
http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/118073.html
M. Sissoko just set up a goal with a Paddy like burst from his own half.
Moussa Sissoko is a beast and a half. He has the same number of caps for france as Capoue
Not at all Tsgh – pretty much all the fans i knew back then were peed off too, Cole was the much better player….
DD had to say that about the deal, to save his own face…
But i strongly suspect Wenger was consulted….
the number of real beast of DM in the French league is unbelievable. Why AW thinks Le Coq will do is beyond me.
Moussa Sissoko has agreed to join Newcastle hasn’t he, or was that just newspaper speculation??
Former Chelsea manager Dave Sexton has died aged 82.
tsGH i want capoue and sissoko in jan.
Because that’s AW all over….. Why get what we really need when we can make do…
The reason why we will never win anything until he changes….
rip Dave Sexton..
Totts are 2-0 up
He was meant to be the replacement for Cabaye but as you said Cabaye is not a need but a want.
3-0 now….
Gouchuff looks like he is back to his best.
DNA the 2 will be asking for a lot. Its AFC we talking about. And Capoue is off to PSG.He even turned down Sevilla and Inter for us but…
rico in my heart i feel really bad sometimes when i critize AW because i don’t want him to leave, i just want him to spend the little extra to keep us competitive. When u look at world class football managers around there is no many classy as AW, AW is a gentleman as much as he hasn’t won a trophy in years i prefer we keep AW once he spends than get a murinho, pep and who ever the media thinks is great. I never heard AW talks bad about a player no matter how they betrays him, that’s class that not every human being is blessed with. I’m just being honest pls don’t kill me.
Depends how bad Cabaye’s injury is – but after losing 2-0 to Southampton, Pardew may still want him anyway….
our MF needs reinforcement though tsGH, so afc needs to act.
Someone mentioned the injury is a cover up by both parties. Its ulike AFC to destabilize a player 😉
tsGH what about Gokan Inler, he is a midfield general
82 is a good age for Dave to go.
Gdna –
I totally understand that, what I really want is for Usmanov to buy out Stan, he then gives AW more money and makes sure he spends it and we finally get a proper squad which has depth to it and with players who really want to play for Arsenal.
Ok,we cannot expect to have all world class players, but we should be having really good players who want to fight for a first team place and when they get a chance they show why they should be playing.
Not a squad who can’t play on a wet surface and who can’t think outside the box on the pitch…. Or players who can’t be arsed to perform on a Saturday morning…
And like a few others here, i’m pretty fed up with seeing our better players leave because of a few pounds, when we are paying crap like Squilli, Djourou, Santos, Chamakh etc etc £50K a week, and most of those don’t even make the bench!
He was but we missed out before he moved to Napoli imo.
It’s also very easy for some to keep saying stay positive etc, well i have been trying to do that since 2006 and I’m fed up with trying any more….
very true rico, but IG is a big part of the problem he is the direct link between AW and Stan. IG lack of football knowledge is also big problem
I totally understand Rico. We just need 3 or 4 very good players at over 24 years to mkove our squad to 14/15 very good players to about 18 good players to take us to the extra height we want. Unfortunately there ain’t any football mean at the club. AFC has always been a business so unless the old farts move on we are always going to be where we are if we are lucky.
Personally I would want us to be 3 or 4 points of the top 4 so that AW will be forced to buy in January.
But is he dna? Yes we all assume he is but is he to blame?
IG shouldn’t really need to know too much about football should he?
The chain for Wenger should be simple.. He goes to IG with a list of players he wants in the squad. IG or whoever it is that now does are negotiating go off and do their all to get the deal done. If they can’t, move onto the next….
Toulouse are beating Lyon 3 nil for the 2nd time in 8 months. DNA if we had their industrous midfield 2 we will be in Barca-land
But it shouldn’t be that way Tsgh. We should be in the top 4 by the first of jan and Wenger still spends.
Regardless of where we are, Arteta is still not a DM, we are still going to struggle up front if Giroud gets injured and Mannone is still a poor second choice keeper….
He should be looking at strengthening regardless, in fact if we were 3rd in the league and still in all comps, that should be even more of a reason to sign a couple of players, just to push us home in one or more….
Then, our players would finally know what it’s like to be winners and that is all they need to kick start a good run for a few years…
Rico you boy Capoue scored again a moment ago.
rico we would be in a better position if the guy in IG position knows about soccer, because he would be able to challenge AW more
I agree again Rico but we know something has to give like 2009 for us to buy in January. I am hoping the new deal and the pressure will make AW make a decision fast enough.
On your 5:45 comment, it is similar to what I asked earlier on why AW has to be the one negotiating the sale of a player because the individual(s) who are meant to do it are incompetent. Why was it AW negotiating to get more for VP when IG and Law are meant to be the guys doing it. Why and who sanctioned the 24% bonus for IG.
Is Defoe an Arsenal fan? He scored two golas today. The first one was a very good shot (remember me my times … 🙂 )
After he League, time to La Liga, Portuguese League and Italian League. A-Madrid-Sevilha for the moment.
I think we have missed any chance of getting him Tsgh…
He shouldn’t need to dna, which is my point really, Wenger should be in control of all things on the pitch. The only thing he needs to be told is how much he can spend….
I strongly suspect AW was involved because he thinks he can influence the players decision. Wenger had to do many things after DD left, the problem is, he was never told to stop after IG arrived (imho of course)
Apparently he is JM, but he’ll be at Qpr soon 😉
Kroenke no doubt sanctioned his salary rise…
Arsene Wenger has explained to his family that while he has funds available for Christmas presents, he won’t be buying any as he is happy with what they have already.
Just been texted to me so it must be true.
Sounds about right Micko….
Hi there Micko. AW is so tight on the purse strings, his wife left him because he did not want to buy their daughter a PS3 game because he thought the PS1 should still work.
Falcao scored again.
Frimps is rumoured to be injured (again) after his debut with the addicks…
His wife left him?
You cynic Rico. lol. Defoe to QPR. Its portmouth mkII with Traore and other Arsenal rejects
Hey Rico and Gooners,
Nice write up Scott. I didn’t get to see the match yesterday and as it turns out, every time I miss the game, we play awful.
Btw, I’d like to point out results of the teams that played in Europe in mid week:
Man Utd. 3-1 QPR. (Thank you ref. One of worst refreeing performance I ever saw. Scholes should have been sent off twice.)
Arsenal 0-0 Villa (Didn’t see but as most of you point out we must have been horrible.)
Chelsea 0-0 Man City (Worst worst worst game ever. wth were they playing?)
Swansea 0-0 Liverpool (Wasn’t entertaining at all.)
S’ton 2-0 Newcastle
Totts 3-1 W.ham (don’t know anything about that)
My point is playing in mid week affects the game. Its 3rd game in a week. We had just come back from two intensive games.
Cut them some slack. This is the first season I am waiting for Jan window to open. I think we’d get two players in and Titi on loan.
Looking forward to Everton with fresh pair of legs of Theo, Ger,Tomas, Jack et all.
Watched him squiming in front of the camera’s yesterday and I have to say I have little sympathy left for him anymore.
Being asked about some of his decisions, the best his he manage was a look of distain, as if to say ‘how dare you’
Most fans just want a straight answer, are fed up with the same old excuses every other week, why doesn’t he just come clean for once.
Hope that’s not right about Frimps..
Jm, don’t think so…
Hi S2S, they shouldn’t need to be cut some slack, we played at home in midweek against a very average side..
We should be able to cope……
And Rico, didn’t we come to know AW earns 85K a week? i.e. 4.42mln a year and it is far less than what Fab used to earn and what RvP was offered.
I just hope we stop with so much of negativity. It is just bad. It affects the whole team in very bad manner. Every time they drop points we say we are bad, very bad and there are cracks and what not. We forget they have played over 180mins of draining foot ball for past 6 days.
And yes we are short on few players and we have to add some in January.
This time I wish AW takes a bold step and decides to put Eisfeld if some one else is tired. Its better to have skilled, willing and fresh man out there then tired legs.
I’m not sure about that £85K a week S2S, even if its true, its still a lot of money…
I’m not being negative, just being a realist. If you and others choose to think all is rosy then fine, but I can’t and won’t..
And I don’t mean that to sound as rude as it probably does 😉
Rico, it was a must win game and that has more psychological effect. We played home mid week, away week end and another away at Everton in mid week, so shouldn’t decisions be taken based on that and about conserving energy?
Right now, Everton are our direct competition for 3rd or 4th spot and losing against them would be far worse than drawing at Villa. That’s what I personally believe.
And except United every team tht played mid week played really bad. United had so much help from ref though. How can their fans be so proud after seeing that they are so supported by ref. Its already 5-7 points gifted by ref to them.
In my opinion if we can stay close i.e. around 12points off the top by mid January we’d have real crack after that.
S2S, it’s the reason professionals have pre-seasons, coming into November they should be hitting their peaks, not complaining about tiredness after 15-20 games.
Granted it doesn’t help with squad depth, I’m sure selling RvP in August for 25 mill and banking the money seemed like a good idea at the time but when you see Le Coq having to come on for Giroud in November it looks like it may have back fired.
We’ll have to agree to differ S2S, winning fixtures like yesterdays makes Champions..
Says a lot too doesn’t it when we are looking at competition for 3 or 4th place. We should be looking at who is top and challenging them..
We all know that other sides go on a good run after Christmas, we however usually go on a shocking one. Rely on the second half of the season at our own peril.
We should be firing on all cylinders by now and we are not….
Rico, I don’t believe everything is fine or rosy. But I am saying it is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. And if we want to be there where we want to be, we’d need few players.
And players need positive vibes to play better and better. And as of now we are not providing it.
Btw, AW is chief architect of a football club earning over 250millions a year. So he would command that salary. And if we see one of the main reason we are solvent and competitive is him, he is underpaid. If he quits us and goes in the open market he’d get at least 30% pay rise and our neighbors might be first to ask if he is interested.
Like I said S2S, let’s agree to differ…
Rico, I’d put forward a simple analogy. I am not very rich so I drive a simple vehicle. But I love thrilling of race and overtaking. And I try for it. In that case I know if I try and use my straight line speed to overtake, I’d be crushed. So I follow as shadow till I get chance to move ahead and then I make nuisance of it to make sure he/he can’t get ahead.
So for me its like that right now. We need to shadow City and United for sometimes at least till transfer window opens. I’d take 12 points adrift from that. In that we need to get few players in and then put in a strong performance. And try and overtake them. So I am willing to bide some time.
Btw, usually we tend to do bad in second half because we get many injuries in that time and we don’t get any new players in. This time its the opposite of that. This time we have players coming back at this time of year and expecting 2 new arrivals. So that should give us boost.
The biggest plus of all is getting Diaby fit. We know he can’t play 2 games in a week but he sure can play one. With Jack back, we won’t have to push him to play 2 games in a week. Both can play in tandem.
So, I am optimist this time around that our fortunes are going to turn this new year.
afternoon good people, i ll take downing anyday. he’s premier league proven, can beat his man and crosses very well. he also takes a good free kick. if he had him yesterday, maybe just maybe. hunterlaar i ll steer clear off, he’s a disruptive force in the dressing room, hey am dutch i can tell.
We can’t blame referees we need to look closer to home for our own shortfalls…..selling the best striker in the PL to one of your biggest rivals, wtf was that?!?! We are declining every year and something or someone has to stop it!!
SCOTT,great write up, especially agreevabout Using Jack wisely. It takes discipline not to throw him in for third match i seven days on a nasty wet pitch. I would have been angry if he played. But im a little more disappointed with Ox than u. Hes not showing much at all in attack. Effort to help defense yes- but he needs to show more.
Impressed with Capoue today. He was a beast of a midfielder. He played the pivotal role aka Diaby and played that role beautifully. He had a goal to his name. He is what we are currently missing in our midfield. Someone that can drive the midfielder forward under tight condition against a defensively minded team.
Wish we could get in an attacker, Isco(malaga), Capoue(tolouse), backup LB and keeper, then we will be talking of the title The team will get better but for now we may have to make do with what we have. I believe they can pull a result here in Liverpool on wednesday.
Downing is massive no from me….he’s shit!
But again you are relying on too many things S2S
) Those above us dropping points, and plenty of them.
2) Us winning the amount of games required to catch up and overtake those above us.
3) Diaby getting fit.
4) Wenger signing two players in January.
Right now, I think there is more chance of us losing Theo Walcott in January, signing no-one and Diaby suffering another setback..
Sorry, but that is what history tells me to believe.
But of course, I truly hope i am way off the mark come January 31st…
lee so was henry at juve and pv4 at milan. with the right manager he could be a world beater. remember him in his boro days. he was class. i ll take him right now over the ox, send oxlade on loan.
Emma, totally agree with your 7:29 pm can you just let AW know asap? 😉
Hi goonster Nt, emma and Lee
No Downing for me thanks, he’s rubbish…
Even when TH and PV were shit they’d piss all over Downing he’s shite….well imho so we’ll have differ!
Should AW deal with on field issues only?
Didn’t AW say he was not for the Asian tour because it will affect his preparation and start of season form? Guess what, in the last 2 seasons since we started this tour we have had the worse start in history but hey blame AW. The money men talk in all walks of life now. The same way civil servants get £100k bonus in whitehall whilst 19 year olds get their legs blown off in foriegn land.
I agree Capoue was awesome but so was Sissoko. If we can’t get Capoue I will settle for him.
Goonster – Paddy and Henry were young and eager to learn, Downing is 28 and rubbish 😉
Diaby has had enough chances, go get Capoue another AW gamble that has backfired….
come guys its my own opinion right? sheeesh this is HH where its ok to disagree right? downing is class to me as a matter of fact he’s in the same class as cr7!
emma:
‘Wish we could get in an attacker, Isco(malaga), Capoue(tolouse), backup LB and keeper, then we will be talking of the title The team will get better but for now we may have to make do with what we have. I believe they can pull a result here in Liverpool on wednesday’.
Spot bloomin on, well, apart from the wednesday bit 😉
The fan i spoke to at sky yesterday mentioned Isco, played very well together with Santi apparently…
Tsgh – I can’t blame AW for the tour to the far east, i heard he was really really against it but the powers that be insisted….
What are you smoking Goonie, Downing as good as Ronaldo 😆
yes maam, in the right hands.
Ts, 100% AW’s focus should be on the team but he’s become so powerful within AFC it’ll be hard…….oh to have the old Wenger back!!
Roll me one Stan! Or do you mean the Brazilian Ronaldo??
M’Bengue of Toulouse looks awesome as a cheap option for the LB slot. A typical AW signing. A Franco-African beast. Antoine Griezmann is a best of a winger we can do with too. A cheaper version of Isco.
lee cr7, not fat ronaldo whom to me is the best player that ever lived after DB10 of course.
We’ll have to agree to differ goonster 😉
Troubl is Lee, I think he has been giving us all so many excuses for what is going on, I suspect he believes himself nowadays….
rico – Isco ran the show when malaga played valencia yesterday. That guy is a sic dribbler. 😉
Good conversation last night…i enjoyed catching up.
Sts makes a great point.
By chanting at the game,and even posting ultra negative comments,we are letting the guys down that are at the club and put in 100% every time they play.
We need to be very careful.
The comments may well be directed at the board or manager,but the overtones are neligible……..any insult will be felt by all at Arsenal FC.
Surely we do not want that.
We want our boys up fro the fight,and out there giving all for the Arsenal shirt,and the Arsenal fans.
Morning all.
rico – Don’t worry rico we will pull a win out of the bag on wednesday because i will be there to cheer the boys to victory 😉
hahahaaahah rico i thought you were going to push it…downing is shit. don’t need his kind just trying to please alanbstard, he’s so crazy about us having english and premier league players. hey scott, whatever happened to alanbstard?
The fat Ronaldo would be a better signing for us now! Not so sure he’s the best player that’s ever lived….but luckily we can disagree here!! 😉 Gus Caesar now there’s a world beater!!!
Ha ha Lee…
Wasn’t one of those english kids we were linked to the other day a left back?
Hopefully a long walk off a short pier…
Hi Scott, they don’t read HH, Theo told me 😉
Phew, I was getting the men in white coats ready Goonster…
Yep Rico, where’s coach when you need him?
I wouldn’t mind Wenger signing Beckham for a season, now there’s a good Englishman 🙂
And his kid is a gooner….
fab emma, are you having to sit with the home fans?
Rico you have summed it all up perfectly with ”Trouble is Lee, I think he has been giving us all so many excuses for what is going on, I suspect he believes himself nowadays….”
There is no denying AW loves the club. It will be very naive to think otherwise but as in all walk of life when a person goes undercover or is leading a double life the likelihood of turning into that false person increases by the day and AW may have passed that point now like the coppers who go undercover as friends of the earth and end up being Anarchist themselves.
I’ll see if i can find out who it was Lee… Devil is poorly I think, he came on just before the game yesterday but had a splitting headache and fever… 🙁
rico – Yes. Going with my neighbour who is an evertonian.
JM has hit the nail on the head re players from other clubs….Shakthar have got some cracking players, don’t know if we’d get them though?!?! This team needs four quality players to win silverware, pretty much everyone on here realises it WHY can’t someone have a word in AW’s ear?
I missed the Malaga match yesterday. It sounds like Isco is back to his best Emma? He had been below par in recent weeks esp in the champions league.
The owners of Shaktar are very loaded buying from them will be like buying water from a Bedouin
Surely Malaga wouldn’t sell us another gem?!?!
Ts as loaded as SK and AU? 😉
Pellegrini is rumoured to have fallen out with AW for picking his pocket so you have a point there Lee.
Two billionaires and we’re as tight as a camel’s arse in a sandstorm!
Rinat Akhmetov is worth $16 Billion my friend
I’m sure he does love the club Tsgh, but sometimes he has a very funny way of showing it….
Best you sit on your hands emma, just in case we score 😉
Spain’s economy is knackered and France have put their top rate of tax up to 75% surely we can get some players from them?
Hi Rico. I do hope ur wrong about whats coming, at least somewhere in the middle would be ok. For sure no good news about Diaby – but one can always hope 🙂
Lee – 😉
In 2011 AU was worth $18.1billion according to Forbes……
Roman could not even persuade Rinat to sell him Willam and they all made their money questionably…
rico – I will behave 😉
8.01 Lee, I think he knows but either chooses not do do anything about it, OR he hasn’t been given the money to do so.
I have my own view on what that is…..
Blame Stan Kroenke. Usmanov has offered to help with his money but the american said ‘go away’….
Yes good point Lee. Germany are at 50% too and Madrid City are broke too why do you think Maureen wants to jump ship like a rat on a pirates ship?
Been good chatting peeps…..night all, morning Scott!
Night guys
You would have thought so Lee, but will Wenger spend in january, he’s not a fan of the winter transfer window. He’s not too keen on the summer one either… 😉
I hope I am very wrong Nt….
Night Lee and Tsgh….
I’m off for the day too folks….
Have a good evening/day where ever you are…
Til tomorrow, night all….
1st
Hi Kev….still about?
Goonster,on Alanbastard…….i think people got a little tired of him throwing insult after insult at Wenger,a few reacted (not only me,honest) and he dropped away.
Hi Scott, just been looking on NewsNow.
Desperate measures and all…
I think you can safely say Scott, that the Stewart Downing rumours went down like a lead kite…
I did read that Frimpong came off injured for Charlton, but that it was only cramp. Let’s hope so eh?
hiya kev, what are you still doing up? looking for a job home again? christ you ll won’t be the death of me buddy?
Wonder if Rosicky will be fit enough to join the squad on Weds’…
Stan, you bum, how are ya doing?
I’m in bed mate, just relaxing before I go to kip…
am good AK, just in a restaurant trying to have me some dinner? cold out there yet?
Only 35 days before the Window opens…
Then 31 days of frustration..
I’m in bed mate, warm as toast.
What’s on the menu?
that huntelaar story wont die kev, i hope we don’t get him. he won’t offer us what we desperately need, i ll have adrain lopez over him. santi needs help in creating chances, hunteelar can’t. i just hope its all in the papers man. i don’t want his kind in my team.
I’m turning in Stan, you enjoy your dinner mate, night.
See ya Scott.
night kev…….
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/9701956/Arsenal-manager-Arsene-Wenger-hoping-40m-January-transfer-funds-proves-he-does-know-what-he-is-doing.html
Inter director Marco Branca has confirmed Wesley Sneijder “will not play until we have made the necessary modifications to his contract” – a pay cut or January sale.
Sneijder has insisted for several weeks that he is getting back to full fitness and ready to play, but has been left out by Coach Andrea Stramaccioni and was banned by the club from using Twitter.
Amid reports of a bid from Russian side Anzhi, today technical director Branca announced the real reason behind his absence.
“We is part of our history and we care for him, but we are discussing a necessary contract modification with him,” Branca told Sky Sport Italia.
“We will give him and his entourage the time to evaluate our proposal, so the decision not to use the player can be traced back to this wait for a more relaxed and clear situation.
“The club and Coach are in agreement that until the player is in a clear state of mind, he will not play.”
Sneijder is Inter’s top earner on €6m per season and the club is eager to slice down its wage bill even further after off-loading Julio Cesar, Lucio and Douglas Maicon.
It is thought unlikely that the Dutchman will accept a pay cut when he is being offered considerably higher wages at Manchester City, Manchester United and Anzhi, so a January move looks inevitable.
Morning Lee.
Let us hope he spends the 40 million on 2 or 3 players.
I would take Huntelaar….he is a goal scorer.
I would get any strong DM available….no need for me to mention names…they have all been mentioned.
I would grab Schwarzer.
I don’t believe we need another back………Gibbs is good enough,and Vermaelen has done very well there in cover of late.
Sell Santos,Arshavin,Squllaci,Chamakh and that should give us 55-60 million to spend,plus an extra few hundred thousand a week in wages.
Morning Scotty, totally agree with the 2/3 players and we know the names that are required. Schwarzer is a no brainer imho.
I thought Sneijder would of been on more money at Milan than he is…worth a punt?
Morning Lee, Scott and all….
I still believe we need another defender who can play left back equally as well. This is when the fixtures come thick and fast.
Four players and i’d be very happy ….
Interesting to read, that’s if it’s true, that the attitude of Arsenal fans (or some of them) has hardened towards AOC.
I wonder if the rumours of his (or his agents) discontent over his current salery and what’s on offer has had an effect on the fans’ attitude to him…
I suppose that a by-product of the players’ inflated wages, could well be a lack of patience by the fans’ who pay so much to watch them?
In other words, the fans could be saying ‘If you want mega-wages, you had better perform, or else we’ll let you know about it’
Just saying.
Morning Gooners btw.
Morning all.
Sneider is one hell of a player.
Does he get along with Huntelaar??
Morning Kev..
Has OC actually signed a new contract?
Don’t most of the Dutch think Sneijder is greedy? Bit like Robben…
Morning all,
The media are finally reporting what I said several weeks ago that Theo Walnut had put his house up for sale.
Scott, I thought Sneijder and that Dutch bloke didn’t get on, not sure if he gets on with Huntelaar.
Isn’t Huntelaar what we’ve already got in Giroud? Not that his signing wouldn’t be welcome, but….
Morning AK…
Morning tsgh, where is that news please about TW’s house?
Lee,i reckon Huntelaar is more of a one shot,one goal player than Giroud.
Giroud works bloody hard,where Huntelaar can be very quiet,then score.
Why have one when we can have two 🙂
I saw that TS… Sneijder’s on £98k pw, that’s chamug/squilster’s salaries! Sorted… next one now! 😉
Lee…..i thought he didn’t get along with that other bloke,too.
Rico- A brief mention here.
http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/local/footballer-s-home-goes-up-for-sale-1-4503462
Can’t for the life of me think of the other bloke’s name….must be a greedy fucker! 😉
Arsenal legend David Seaman has suggested that players currently see a move to the club as an opportunity to develop before moving elsewhere for more money and trophies.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the former goalkeeper explained that Arsenal need to stop selling influential players every year if they are to be serious about winning things again, like when he was still playing.
“Losing your captains all the time – like Van Persie and Fabregas – is like when Patrick Vieira left. It takes the heart out of the team. We used to be able to keep our best players and that’s why we were winning trophies, but at the moment we can’t do that.
“What are people looking at Arsenal for? Are they looking to advance their careers? They’re not looking to advance themselves financially because they know they can get more money elsewhere.
“It’s going to be hard for them to attract players and what’s happening is they’re getting players in, making them into great players and then they’re having to let them go.
“When Arsene came it was a given that they’d be in the Champions League all the time and we were winning things as well, but you can’t do what they’re doing at the moment and expect to win trophies.”
Maybe he just doesn’t want to stay after the house was broken into Tsgh…
Lee – would you paste that on the new post please?
New post is now up…
Lee….was it Stan 🙂
lol