Daily Bits and Bobs

Wenger’s Shock Welbeck Admission! Ozil, Gibbs, Arteta and Ospina boost!

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

Back in 1998 and on this very day, Freddie Ljunberg signed for Arsenal FC. What a super little player he was. Him and his red hair and CK pants forever on show!

Bit early for the CK’s so red hair it is…

And Trophies of course...
And Trophies of course…

I wonder if back then, anyone said Freddie who?

Mesut Ozil, Mikel Arteta and David Ospina were all snapped taking part in full training yesterday. Kieran Gibbs is back in the squad for Saturday too which is good news.

No sign of Danny Welbeck or Aaron Ramsey though and that’s to no great surprise. Apparently our last minute signing was put through his paces in the gym ahead of Saturdays lunchtime fixture. Hopefully someone has had the common sense to give him a new wash bag!!

Arsene Wenger has finally muttered some words about our new striker, saying he’s a versatile player, an ideal signing and one who may start against City. Come on Arsene, he has to start, he’s on a high after his two goals for England, play him, it’s a must!

Aaron Ramsey has suggested that any worrying concerns over his fitness should be cast aside:

I’ll be alright – the pitch was very hard. There’s no give in it so I rolled my ankle a bit. 

Hopefully it will be nothing and I’ll be available for Saturday. These are the games you want to play in and I’m looking forward to it.

Phew, let’s hope he is right and he’s on the pitch come 12.45 on Saturday!

Mesut Ozil being fit is a huge boost too, players like him are hard to replace, almost impossible I’d say and now that we not only have a bit of pace up front, but a striker who knows how to score in Danny Welbeck and Ozil’s ability and vision is key to fixtures like this one against Man City. Not from the wing of course!

And why Arsene Wenger plays our world class German on the wing is hard to understand but all the time he does, we aren’t seeing the best of him. Even so, with 13 assists already, which in my opinion would be much higher if he played centrally, Mesut is happy:

I’m very proud of my assist record. Often there is a lot of talk or a lot written about goals and not necessarily about who has given the assist, which is normal. But you can’t forget that the assists are just as important as goals. But it doesn’t matter who sets up the goal or who scores it, the most important thing is that we are successful as a team. I’m a player who doesn’t score that many goals but gives a lot more assists.

Of course my aims this season are to score lots of goals and provide many assists to help the team. I’m positive that I can do that because I have the potential and the faith of the coach.

Funny how so many players talk about having so much confidence in our manager but then they are hardly to say anything else are they?

Per Mertesacker been talking about Ozil, Podolski and the FA Cup:

Mesut is an incredibly good footballer; a steady source of unrest for opponents. He’ll continue to develop here, the Premier League hasn’t seen the best of him yet. 

We have many players who dribble and can carry the ball towards goal, but we have nobody like Poldi who can smash the ball into the top corner from 25 metres.

After our FA Cup win in May — our first title in nine years — Wenger’s become even hungrier to build something here, and set the pace with Arsenal.

He’s an institution, and has built up so much. That’s why the club is sitting pretty. And through extending his contract three-and-a-half months ago, he’s shown his critics that he can continue to develop a team.

No Merts, the club is sitting pretty because Arsene Wenger won’t spend the money to give Arsenal FC a squad which is complete and truly ready to challenge on all fronts!

Still, it is what is is right now and we just have to hope that key players, especially our defenders, don’t pick up too many injuries from now until January 1st and if they don’t, we could be in a good place when the next transfer window opens.

Finally, and thrown in at the last minute after the managers press conference, Wenger has spoken about signing Danny Welbeck:

It was quick because it was the last day of the transfer window but I had no hesitation to do it.

If I stayed at my home, Welbeck would not be here…that is the truth.

I will tell you the story one day.

Thank goodness he went to Rome then. Perhaps he should go back there next summer for a couple of months…..

That’s it for another day….

 

 

rico

126 thoughts on “Wenger’s Shock Welbeck Admission! Ozil, Gibbs, Arteta and Ospina boost!”

  6. Hell Raising Devil says:

    oyyyy Lads…..lets have a whip round so that we can send AW for a two month holiday to honolulu between mid May to mid August.

    I agree with Xr!s…..2nd para from last is hilarious.

    And yes I asked Freddie who????

  7. Scott From Oz says:

    Wenger will have a hell of a book to write when he retires, and I for one think he’d surprise plenty of us 3)
    Morning everyone.

  8. kene says:

    Welbeck should start. Rest Ramsey if he is not 100% fit. play Ozil in the middle. Wilshere’s confidence is up now, he can fit in perfectly in box to box. Sanogo should be given the best part of the bench….

  9. Xr!s says:

    Yeah,Rico.

    That quote of Wenger just confirms that Welbeck was not his signing. Maybe,in his New contract,he’s relieved of a major say in signings. Something like,”put up a list of targets and leave the rest to us And/Or we will sign whoever we think can improve our team”

  12. Nickie says:

    I think that’s the case Bondex. Fergie wouldn’t want to see one of his babies left out in the cold at OT. He knows he’d be a bigger part of Wenger’s plans and trusts him

  14. Xr!s says:

    I read something that our players made it quite easier to sign him or they proposed the idea. The main source was from daily star that our captains met up with Welbeck at the club’s gym and had a heart-heart talk about his situation at Utd. Wenger was contacted after Wilshere, Walcott and Ox have commented on it and the club went on with the signing

  17. Sukky says:

    No matter how poor we are going to be on Saturday,it won’t be another 6-3 or 5-0 because we are playing in †̥ђƺ might emirate stadium.That gives me a lot of confidence.lol

  20. rogerbij says:

    Im worried, we are tiny in the midfield and they are going to muscle us big time.

    Nicki, Sanogo for Gunnersaurus! lol!

    Also its funny, Wenger did generally well in the window, I give him a B+ . But noone believes he should take any credit for the Welbeck signing. Im not so sure – its a feature of Wenger’s workings that noone gets to know how he operates behind the scenes. When it goes bad in the window, I blame him, when he does well I give him some credit . Some fans will never give him credit in transfer dealings.

  23. rico says:

    Roger, I’ll give him credit when he gets us a proper squad and not one which includes two mature/experienced centre-backs and no cdm…

  25. LOLpundit says:

    Hi Rico,

    I understand you don’t like to leave my own links here. But I believe you guys might be wrong. Arsene may be just trolling with the media. I have a different theory.

    There is only one Boss at Arsenal. I would appreciate if you could read my theory and comment.

    If Arsene can sign Sanchez with his speedos on. I am sure he can sign welbeck from far away from Home.

    What is home by the way? Love you Arsene

    Regards,
    LOLpundit

  26. bondex says:

    Nickie says:
    September 11, 2014 at 11:24 am
    You’re being generous Kene, Sanogo should have the honour of being the Gunnersaurus for saturday’s game 😆 😆

  29. rogerbij says:

    lol Rico, I was talking about giving credit for individual signings, in this case Welbeck (or Sanchez, Deb, Chambers, Ospina).

    Obviously I agree we are short a DM and CB, Ive gone on about it enough these past months!

  30. rico says:

    lolpundit.

    I don’t object to links being left on here as we are all Gooners. But it’s tiresome when people just come on here, leave a few words in one comment each day just to promote their own site.

    You must do what everyone else has had to do, apply to get your site onto NewNow or a similar place and let readers find you…

  31. rico says:

    Why should he get any credit though Roger? Surely it’s Ivan and his sidekicks who deserve the credit, they are the ones who get the deals done and if AW didn’t poke his snozzer in, we’d have possibly signed two more players back in the summer….

  32. rico says:

    kene, poor old Chambers will be here there and everywhere if we suffer many injuries etc. Fingers crossed we don’t get them, well, at least until the new year…

  33. Nickie says:

    I’m not sure we can say who truly made the signings Wenger or Gazidis or the Magical transfer fairy that floats around the emirates. At the end of the day we got who we got and we have to deal with that. I’m just glad real football is back this weekend. I’ve been starved of it lol

  39. Federico says:

    I just saw the presser and it doesn’t look like Wenger is upset about the signing. I think that what you have is a tiny clip of it and the newspapers ran with it to garner web hits.

  40. esxste says:

    Fedrico is right. My view of News Now shows all the Papers trying to run the story that “Arsene wanted to sign Welbeck on loan”, when we know that, because Welbeck was initially only offered on loan.

    The key phrases I picked up from his comments were “He plays centre, I think thats his best position” and “I had no hesitation” (in buying)

  41. Bob John says:

    Hi all.
    I think AW’s comment about not signing Welbeck if he had been at home says it all. He is stubborn and arrogant enough to think his squad can cope which is why we are left with so few defenders!

  42. Federico says:

    One of the funnier bits of the presser was Wenger being asked about what SIr Alex would have done. Wenger replied that he ran into him on Tuesday, but wanted to keep what he said private (which he said with a wry grin). Everyone in the press conference laughed, so it sounds like Fergie thought it was a dumb move for Utd.

    So start him now Wenger! I don’t want to see Sanogo even on the bench.

  43. rico says:

    He says he’s happy Federico but to be honest, he couldn’t say anything else, but why add that the deal wouldn’t be done had he been in England.

    Like I said early on the other post, he’s just feeding the media negative stuff for them to throw back at us.. Just tell the world how thrilled he is to have such a young talented played signed up and one who will make our strike force stronger…

    And then add that sanogo is now free to go on loan… 😉

  46. Federico says:

    But Rico – don’t you think that what he said was enough?

    “If I had not travelled that day, Welbeck would not be here,” Wenger said.

    “The coincidence made that because I was on my way [to Rome]. If I stayed at home, Welbeck would not be here today. That’s the truth.”

    “We are in 2014 and you can always be in touch with everybody even when you travel. The advantage of that day was I had to get up at 6 o’clock in the morning and I was available the whole day.”

    It implies that he may have had other things on his plate, so if anything, it just shows that he is caught up in too many other things and needs help.

  48. Federico says:

    Don’t get me wrong – I do not like Wenger. He is too poor tactically to be the coach, but I feel that this one has legs because the story is negative.

  49. kel says:

    I think gunnerblog confirmed that wenger got the welbeck deal going at around 7am on TFD day I think wenger means if he hadn’t have been leaving the country that day, ie going to Rome he wouldn’t have been up and about at 5 or 6am… when welbeck became available. The daily star has has a piece on it.

  50. Adam says:

    Trying to unravel the words of Arsene Wenger has always proved fruitless. Best to take everything that comes out of his mouth with a massive pinch of salt. He is so far up himself these days that, if he thought for a moment, he wouldn’t have made those Welbeck statements at all.

  52. rogerbij says:

    He gets credit, Rico, because we had a very good window. We bought 5 players, all of whom are better than what we had, and at least one of them is nothing short of brilliant. All of the others are quality internationals. Just because the final pieces of the puzzle are not there (frustratingly so) doesnt mean you can write-off all of the good work that was done.

    And therein lies my point – you can’t blame Wenger when the deals arent made, and then refuse to give Wenger any credit when deals ARE made.

  54. rogerbij says:

    To be clear, I give Wenger great credit for the very good deals that were made, and blame him for not adding a quality DM and CB which we clearly need. I also blame him for leaving those signings to the last minute. And Gazidis et al share in that credit and that blame.

  57. Federico says:

    Rico – I am not going to read into that quote too much – he likes his negotiations to be private and he has always been this way. I would agree with Kel above. I think that if he hadn’t been travelling, he may have been involved with other things, or not up that early at all – Welbeck became available and was probably close to another team – which if the press are to be believed would have been Spuds.

    I do think that he would have preferred to have him on loan because probably this really isn’t the signing that Wenger would have wanted, which is fair enough – most Gooners would say the same.

  59. rico says:

    I credit AW for naming his players and Gazidis etc for getting the deals done.

    But I blame AW for thinking this squad is big enough or strong enough and not telling IG to sign two more players…

    Then I blame the board for allowing such things to go on…

  64. rogerbij says:

    But hangon Rico, we made BIDS on deadline day for Carvahlo and Nastasic. In the lead up we also reportedly made serious inquiries for Manolas and Sokratis, and whoever else I dont know.

    So Wenger knew we needed players in those positions, and instructed IG and team to sign those players.

    So by your rationale, its IG you should blame more than Wenger. Wenger did not think the squad was big enough, and did instruct Gazidis et al to try to sign 2 more players.

    Personally I blame the lot of them for not putting enough urgency on those last few signings before deadline day.

    And I refuse to overlook the credit they deserve for the good deals that were done.

  67. tsgh says:

    Afternoon Rico and all,
    Damn, the freddy haircut in the photo above brings back memories. lol
    I love conspiracies… what has Aw done now? 🙂
    Good post…

  68. rico says:

    Roger, did we really, or was it all just rumour?

    Regardless, if we did, why wait until DD to do so? Was that AW’s idea or Ivans?

    Did we wait just so we could get a cheap deal?

    Or was it all a bit half-hearted?

    If AW really wanted us to sign both players you mention, he would have had a better chance had he asked IG to get the deals done in July, just like he did the others…..

  71. dublingunner says:

    afternoon, maybe being the tight arse he is, Likes the player, but thinks the board paid too much for im, And if he had off been in the country to do the tough transfer negotiations would not of budged beyond 10 million, and the deal wouldn,t of went through. should leave the country more often imo.

  72. tsgh says:

    Maybe Yanited sold him to us because they were led to believe AW was not interested… 😉
    Per, Santos, Arteta were all bought when Aw was in South France doing a UEFA trainers seminar after the 8-2 thrashing…
    At that time the theory was Aw was not into Arteta but Mikel has turned out to be even more close to Aw than several of his better signings/ players have been… imo

  73. rogerbij says:

    Later Rico. Hey Ts, all.
    Its interesting, BBC reports Wenger saying : “If I’d stayed at home he [Welbeck] wouldn’t be here now.”
    Normally, that would be interpreted as IG doing something against the wishes of Wenger…

    But then I read the Standard, who carry his quotes more fully, and worth reading…

    ***
    Asked if he wanted to take Welbeck on loan, Wenger replied: “With an option to buy, yes. At the start the player was only available on loan but after he became available to buy, I agreed.

    “We sold [Robin] van Persie to Manchester United [in 2012] so that’s a reciprocity that happened there. I thought when they bought Falcao they had to let somebody go and I was not aware at the start [that United would sell to Arsenal] when I heard that he could be available. It was quick because it was on the last day of the transfer window and I had no hesitation to do it.”

    Wenger attracted a great deal of criticism for spending deadline day in Rome, where he took part in a charity game named the ‘Match for Peace’ to promote religious harmony, but the Arsenal manager cryptically claimed that Welbeck would not be an Arsenal player had he not made the trip to Italy.

    “If I had not travelled that day, Welbeck would not be here,” he said. “I’ll explain that a bit later but the coincidence made that [deal] because I was on my way. If I stayed at home, Welbeck would not be here today.

    “I will tell you that story one day but that’s the truth. We are in 2014 and you can always be in touch with everybody even when you travel. The advantage of that day was I had to get up at 6am and I was available the whole day.”
    ***

    So thats quite cryptic, and says that Wenger was involved behind the scenes. Who did Wenger meet that day, or talk to on the phone?

  74. tsgh says:

    Exactly Roger… very cryptic me think…

    Interesting how it took Falcao aover 5 hours to travel from Monaco to Manchester in a private jet. His private jet left Nice and arrived in Manchester just after 17:30 GMT; according to sky he only arrived to manure grounds after 8…

    I guess from the outside deals can be like chain mortgages…

  76. Joywedsjeff says:

    Afternoon all…
    I think what AW means is that he tried to sign Welbeck from london but United refused so he sent in a fax from rome. Apparently, when Giggs saw the fax from Rome he told LVG that Roma wants to buy Welbeck for Sixteen million. Being Busy trying to satisfy Falcao’s greed, LVG could’nt read through the fax before he signed it.
    Early the next morning, they went through the morning papers hoping to read about how happy united fans are about signing Falcao only to see that Welbeck has signed for Arsenal…
    Early investigations at united point to a lack of brains between Giggs ears.

  79. Hell Raising Devil says:

    there goes FFP……

    Manchester City have been allowed to name only one club-trained player in their squad for the opening stages of this season’s Champions League – three less than Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.
    City, despite having failed UEFA’s FFP ruling which meant their squad had to be reduced from 25 to 21 for the tournament, have been allowed to reduce their non-overseas quota to five to compensate for the reduction, according to the Independent.
    Clubs in the Champions League are meant to have at least four ‘club-trained’ and four ‘association-trained’ players in their 25-man squads, but UEFA have seemingly accommodated City’s situation.

    It is thought that players union Fifpro – with full support of City – started making overtures to Uefa that they would potentially take legal action over theoretical restriction of TRADE. Uefa eventually relaxed the restriction and allowed City to have five non-overseas players, meaning 16 foreign players rather than the predicted 13.
    The likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea may argue that Uefa have let City off the hook. If Champions League squad was going to be shrunk from 25 to 21, this would assume proportionally that eight home-grown players should become seven, not five.
    City believe they have fully complied with Uefa’s rules with regards to the composition of their Champions League squad.

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2752131/Manchester-City-bend-UEFA-Financial-Fair-Play-rules-naming-just-one-club-trained-player-squad-three-Arsenal-Chelsea-Liverpool.html#ixzz3D11FCC00
    Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

  80. AndrewH says:

    Good post rico, afternoon…..
    Having just watched official video, if Wenger hadn’t got up at six o’clock, we would have signed no-one? Why was that question not asked? Also whether he considers 6 defenders enough for PL, FAC, LC and Europe. Are the reporters not allowed to ask the main questions the fans have? Strange?

  82. rogerbij says:

    Andrew, obviously if we didnt sign Welbeck we wouldve signed Kim Kallstrom. Its just such a good thing Wenger got out of the right side of the bed.

    (some people think that the other side of the bed was Falcao, but in fact that wouldve required a 5am start and poll vaulting out the window)

  87. rico says:

    Jeff – classic.. lol

    Thanks Andrew.

    Dublin, you have a point too, but for £16m, who has the better deal, us or Liverpool? Even AW must know the answer to that….

  89. dublingunner says:

    ye rico, .or else he,s just trying to justify he,s foolishness for being out of the country, on d,day. By making it seem it was a master stroke, by himself. That he got us welbeck. I am living for day that his auto,biography comes out, Oh to know what goes on his head, should be a fascinating read.

  91. Rick says:

    Evening Rico and the House.
    A reminder that the U21 game (KO 7pm) is on Sky Sport 2 AND the Arsenal Plyer tonight . The player will also be showing certain acadamy games during this season.
    I have heared a whisper that Theo could be a sub tonight, a little too soon I think.

    Dev your 3.02 . This has been a bone of contention with me for the last four seasons. The powers to be do not have the balls to enforce
    this rule simply because we are in a far better position to comply with it then any other club in the top four.
    Enjoyed your post Rico up to normal standard.

  92. rico says:

    Dublin, who knows what goes on in that man’s head, I’m not sure he even does. I’ll be reading that book one day, that’s for sure….

    Just hope he recalls all the times when he’s contradicted himself…

  94. Rick says:

    Tonights team,
    Martinez Bellerin Hayden Oconner Ottewell Mailan Niles DIABY Coquelin Crowley Zelelem Akpom. No Theo
    Its a good side.

  95. rico says:

    More time for Diaby then, good. He’s not my favourite but if he can build up his fitness and strength, there are games in which he could allow rest/rotation…

  105. potter says:

    Finished 2 – 0 both from Akpom who was wasteful and could have had a couple more. Crowley looks to have a lot of skill but didn’t show as a team player but at the back Hayden looked good and Martinez looks a good keeper. Akpom and Sanogo could be an interesting Capital one forward line but after Southampton should both get loan deals. On the whole Arsenal were far superior but over played their hand but then that’s a trait that runs through the whole club. It should have been wrapped up much earlier. Finally Diaby , he lasted 90 minutes but didn’t really break sweat .On this performance I would think he is a few weeks away from the first team.

  106. AndrewH says:

    Great through ball and well taken 2nd goal by Akpom. Only caught last 15 minutes after seeing here it was on. Entertaining!

  109. Scott From Oz says:

    Sorry guys, but as Roger said, we can not criticise Wenger for failed deals, yet give him no credit when they go through.
    I mean, Wenger has total control of the club, doesn’t he?
    Enough Gooners have said it, so why is it he suddenly LOSES power when we sign the likes of Ozil, Sanchez and Welbeck?
    Seriously??
    Now what I’m really saying is none of us know what happens, but can we cut the crap about him having total control??
    Morning boys and girls.
    One more sleep til game day, then two more until heading to bloody Yankland……
    Blaaahhhhh.
    Take me to North London, please…..

  118. rico says:

    I think he’s just trying to justify the transfer but seeing as it’s the topic of today’s post, I’ll leave it there… lol

  120. Adam says:

    Morning Rico and all. Absolutely terrible news about those poor dogs. A really horrible story to start the day. Seems like it was arson. Sickening.

  121. rico says:

    Morning Adam, sickening news indeed. A 14 year old boy is believed to have been responsible. I’d like to stick him in a kennel, lock it and then set fire to it!!

  122. Adam says:

    I know. There seems to be more and more cruelty to animals these days and it is incredibly upsetting to those of us who care for them and see how wonderful they can be. I really can’t bear to read the stories anymore.

  124. frednerk says:

    Morning All,
    Er,Scott
    Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.
    Winston Churchill

    The flame and the glory starts with Wenger and ends with Wenger,
    his book will be worth a read.mate

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