Following the 3-0 success over West Bromich Albion in out last fixture, which feels like years ago now, Arsene Wenger attended the customary post-match Press conference and fended off the usual mixture of questions, be they sensible, mischief-making, constructive or inane, he answered with his usual calmness.
One journalistic ‘dipstick’ asked him if Vermaelen & Koscielny were now his 1st choice centre-back pairing, on the face of it a seemingly innocent question, but can you imagine the headlines the following day, if Wenger had actually admitted that that was the case?
The ‘Merde Stirring’ would have gone into overdrive, casting doubts on the future of Mertesaker and trying to create division in the camp. It probably would have rumbled on over the entire international break.
Wenger spotted the trap immediately and danced around the dopey question by stating that Mertesaker and Djourou were all part of his 1st choice centre-backs, although he didn’t include Squillaci, thankfully!
Wenger knows if Arsenal are to continue their present recovery he is going to need all his centre-backs and will need to rotate them to keep them fresh and to avoid fatigue related injury.
Maybe we should add Miquel to the mix as well and wasn’t it good to see Kyle Bartley back in action for Glasgow Rangers? Personally I’d take Miquel and Bartley in front of Squillaci any day of the week.
Thinking of how many centre-backs we have in the squad, and good ones at that, made me cast my mind back to 1992-93, that great ‘Cup Double’ season.
It was a bit of a standing joke about how many centre-backs George Graham had assembled in his squad.
Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Martin Keown, Andy Linighan, David O’Leary, Colin Pates and Steve Morrow were all centre-backs or had been.
Steve Bould spent most of 1992-93 injured and missed all the Wembley games but he starred in the Cup Winners Cup success a year later. Martin Keown was cup-tied but George had been using him as a midfield ‘destroyer’ at the time and unfortunately he missed the Cup Winners Cup Final through injury.
Bouldy was injured, so Andy Linighan had his ‘day in the sun’ culminating with that memorable headed winner in the FA Cup replay, payback to Mark Bright’s snidey elbow. David O’Leary picked up an FA Cup winners medal before retiring in the summer of 1993.
Steve Morrow got the winner in the League Cup after George Graham converted him to a reliable midfielder, before his fall from grace via the shoulder of Tony Adams.
Colin Pates filled-in whenever he was needed and never let us down, the highpoint of his Arsenal career being his European Cup goal against Benfica, he left the club that summer.
Tony Adams carried the back-four on his reliable back that season, no rotation for him and gave me my highpoint of the season.
An FA Cup Semi-Final revenge on the Spuds.
Nice…..
Who will be that man this season or will it be all of them together?
Written by Allezkev
Morning…..
Sepp Blatter out!! 😉
Off to read the post with a cuppa ….
Spooky, we were only talking about Adams yesterday and how he would be better off in England, he has left Azerbaijan
Good post Kev, thank you…
Didn’t Morrow have the lid of the cup on his head when he fell off big Tony – broke his arm didn’t he… Iriots 😉
Bould, Adams, Keown, O’Leary – what a four…..
I have every faith in Merts, Kos and TV but after that, JD and Squilli 😮
Agree re Miquel and Bartley, both over Squilli any day of the week, what is happening with Miquel at the moment, maybe we should have loaned him to West Ham or similar….
Hi all
I hope the Cahill brigade will not go into overdrive in the next few weeks. I have been saying for some time now that we don’t need another CB half as much as we need a new striker and midfielder. our current back 4 are as good as any now and the midfield is tightening up, M’vila and a top striker and we will be well placed.
Hi TT,
My choice would be to sell Squilli and JD and get Cahill 😉
What for rico? You always play with a settled defense, thats the part of the team that you rotate the least due to the necessity of the players having a very good understanding. Who will you leave out of the team for extended periods? Cahill, Verminator, Merts or Kozzer and do you think that the players left out will want to stick around and warm the bench?
These are all good CB’s and would get a game in almost any other team there is and their omission from the starting 11 would cause problems. The other option would be to play them out of position but that means dropping a midfielder or on of the full backs and ditto we have not only a dis balance but more top players that want out.
3 world class(I consider them to be exactly that) are as much as you can keep happy IMO and adding the forth would not necessarily strengthen us, at least not half as much as a top top striker and midfielder would do.
I just believe that if we are to win things we need four quality central defenders, all it takes is one injury and then the pressure is on and, i guess the other thing in my mind is Gibbs is never fit, Santos is a liability all too often and i have this sneaky feeling that we will see TV at LB in the not to distant future….
Are three players enough to compete in all four competitions for the rest of the season? The fixtures will soon be coming thick and fast, especially over Christmas and the New Year…..
morning all, M’Vila and Poldoski…SIMPLES!!
or perhaps verthongen as he can play DM & CB…
Morning Lee..
And Cahill, very simples 😉
But, I am confident, we won’t buy another CH….
Morning guys and chicks. Hope you have a good day today.
Good post AK. Keep them memories flooding back in. It sure makes good to remember a bit of history.
But be careful please. Dont you go and say too much about your memories otherwise W.A.T.H. will get to know your age. However can you tell me of your memories way back in the first league championship after the war?? That is if you remember that, ok!!!! 😉
I agree with TT regarding the centrebacks. Too many cooks spoil the broth. Pity AFC did not get Cahill since he is English. But personally I would offer JD and Squilli in return for CAhill. In that way I have 4 centrehalves and play 2 of them in one game and two in another. For example…..Koscielny and Cahill would have the cups, Champions league included while TV05 and Merte would have the league with the CL difficult games included as well.
I would like to have Vertonghen above Cahill for the simple reason that he can play anywhere along the defence plus defensive midfielder.
The rumours about verthongen are really gathering pace, and his club said he could be sold in jan, he can play LB too can’t he?
Why do some of us say centre half and some centre back??
🙂
you say “Tomato”…..
Morning Rico. The proper use is centreback. Centrehalf came from dropping one of the halfbacks in the 60’s to play two in the middle of the defence and some journos muddled up everything like they usually do. So they coined the phrase centre from centreback and half from half back. However the proper word is centreback although both are used.
“kozzer”is THE MAN!-if we a add vertonghen & a n striker,i’ve a feeling we’ll be laughing!!
And you say ‘Scone’ Lee 😉
Hi DG, thanks, i wondered where that all came from..
hi itchy, he’s certainly playing well right now, long may it remain, same with all of them and hope injuries are over for TV….
Vertonghen and Podolski are on my wish list!
Vertonghen is versatile, can play DM, CB, LB. Very versatile.
Podolski since he is a pure striker. And I think he cab thrive with our system.
Hi Lingberg, welcome to HH…
Podolski seens to be the name on most gooners wish list – i’m not fussed who we get as long as he can score goals for fun…
If people are worried about Gibbs and Santos then why not buy a LB instead of Cahill which IMHO is not as good as verminator Merts or Kozzer. Cahill is English, so what? The best CB in the prem are foreigners such as Vermalien Kozzer Merts Vidic Kompany etc etc.
Baynes from Everton as LB anyone? I’d have him in a flash over both Santos and Gibbs, at right back Jenkinson is not doing badly and Sagna will be back in January.
Hence I would go for a midfielder and a striker where our need is real instead of going back to the early nineties when we where collecting CB’s like they where going out of fashion.
So who does Wenger think is best two CB pairings are then ! If all fit and available ? Let’s be realistic here , our defending in away games this season has not been very good – with the CB’s at fault for many of the goals concededed – 8 at United, 4 at Blackburn , 2 at Spuds , 3 at Chelsea, and wins at home over lowly opponents , who are trying to nick a point by defending in depth, doesent prove anything.
I say that we need to see some improvement in our defending in the away fixtures – when Wenger plays with a high line defence that is susceptable to quick counter attacks – and also better defending on set pieces – before smugly deciding that the Centreback issuses have been solved. The Chelsea could have gone either way . Personally I would take Cahill over any of our current CB’s – and Mertesacker was not Wenger’s – first or even second choice was he? . Money got in the way of things again though.
I agree however that another proven goal scoring striker is required to step in and help releave RVP – who according to the Dutch International manager , is running on empty.
And we are only into November!
We want a striker that score goals for fun? Get Remy. With the service he will get at Arsenal he will be in the 20’s goal player.
I think we missed a trick not getting Enrique for LB..
The thing about Cahill is he is used to the PL and he’ll be cheap in Jan or free in the summer 😉
I’m not for collecting defenders, we need to offload those who are not good enough too, JD and Squilli are two…
We still need a midfielder though and a goal scorer….
Morning all,
rico, were sepp blatter and PHW seperated at birth ?
Word on the street is you got a bit of irish in you kev.
I was there for the fa cup final replay in 93, wrighty was on fire at the time, unstoppable, andy linighan deserved all the plaudits, he wasn’t the most gifted but always gave 110%.
A season to forget for the Wednesday supporters, we were the first team to the the domestic cup double that year.
I can’t see Wenger getting a striker if i’m honest, not until Nik is off our books, with Park, Gerv and Theo who Wenger has said he considers all to be strikers i just think he’ll keep his money…
Also, Watt is firing on all cylinders for the reserves, he’d prob rather use him…
Not what i’d do, but we all know wenger….
Also, maybe we are considering another visa application for Campbell in Jan??
Hi Micko, does make you wonder doesn’t it, both open their mouth before having a word with their brain, I hope Blatter goes, bring in someone who is aware that it’s 2011……
Linighan was a skinny thing wasn’t he, bit like Kos…
Rico, TV5 won’t be playing left back for us, no chance.
Isn’t it possible that wenger could arrange for Santos’s wages to be paid in carrots instead.
I don’t want him too either Micko but it just worries me that Wenger will end up without any other choice, however, if TV’s bestes buddy does get signed in Jan, problem solved… simples ….
Thats not the Linighan i remember, he was big enough, its just he was surrounded by some great centrebacks at the time and was a bit like the runt in the litter, he did take a bit of stick.
Hi Adam2, don’t what happen there, you went into moderation…
I think it depends on who we play against, if we are facing an oppo with tall strikers who are strong in the air and every attack is through them, for me, Merts has to start but if we are playing footballing sides who like to keep the ball on the ground then i’d always start with TV and Kos.
I don’t think Merts was his first choice, not even his second, Wenger wanted Cahill and or Jags before him, but like you say, they were too expensive.
Part of me really thinks that Wenger’s offer for Cahill was all about letting him know he wants the player and telling him to wait until his price is dropped. Cahill had a chance to go to the Spuds but turned it down (imho)
Although I don’t think he will join us in Jan, I really hope he does….
If not, in the summer for free…..
Linighan was a good honest player that always gave everything when he played, however he was prone to the odd silly mistake. We used to call it the Andy Linighan moment, as soon as it had gone we knew we were safe for the rest of the match.
Oops, maybe i am confusing him with someone else…..
Hi Potter.. seems we have had a few who are prone to the odd silly mistake over the years….
Televisions were much smaller back then.
A few on here are calling for m’villa but midfield is another area where we have plenty of bodies, we’ll probably end up just buying a striker.
Cahill will be going to Chelsea I recon. Either there or Manure. I know lot of fans will be in uproar over it when it happens but I honestly don’t think he will be such a big player to miss as we have those positions covered now. Also I have not by any means given up on JD. He was very good when playing with Kozzer for some time and never really had the benefit of playing with Verminator over a extended period of time which would have helped him a lot.
Give me M’vila, Gotze Remy or Podolsky, any two or three out of that and I would be very excited about our future.
Hello Rico, this horses for courses use of CB’s all looks good in theory, but what happens when we play sides who are good at attacking on high crosses from set pieces – and also at creating chances from passing moves! This scenario fits all of the top teams who are competing for the European Cup and the Premier League title – top 4 places. So far we have not kept a clean sheet in the league against a top 4 contender – and we have yetstill to play one in Europe.
Have a look at this guys and chicks.
Bould said:
“We’ve got some good English kids and I think we’ve always had good English kids and certainly I think there are a lot of good English kids coming through the system. Part of the Premier league program is to get more contact time with the ball we all absolutely agree that this is the way to go.”
“We have Spanish kids, we have Dutch, we have French and Swiss kids. Our top players are every bit as good technically. I guess the problem is that as a country we don’t have enough. So I think that is where everyone is trying to address that problem.”
IMO that is the problem with English players.
It is little wonder that the country is still short in the technique department when people like Tony Pulis, Sam Allardyce and dare I say Harry Redknapp and their ilk are being lauded for their direct style of football.
Devil, stuart pearce, the england under 21 manager likes to play a bit of long ball as well, says it all really, wilshere would only have ended up with a sore neck playing in that team.
Again, the only way i see us buying a M’Vila kind of player is if the suggestion that Song is off comes true, we have him, Coq and Frimpong all after one position…
In fact, the more we look at the squad, the more i start to think we won’t be buying anyone…
😆 Micko
Where would Cahill fit in at Manure, they have Vidic, Rio, Smalling and Jones – four quality ch’s 😉
And if he chooses the Chavs, then bigger fool him 🙂
If we don’t get him, I think Arry will…..
Adam, i know and that’s why i still believe we need a defender who can offer something different, both Cahill and Samba are that for me… Both top quality in the air and used to the PL.
only TV has that out of our three imho…
That Bould comment is kind of what we talked about yesterday, if english players have it in them, it doesn’t matter which league they are in, they will shine eventually and get their chance at the top…
Do Pullis and Big sam play that direct football anymore?
Hello!
Always Benfica…
And D. Bent? Isn’t he a good enought for central forward, specially in the League? Isn’t cheaper then the other ones?
Gibs and Santos can play in midfield. But the team will not be balance. yes, we have many Central backs, but didn’t Song play like a central back twice thia season? A player who can play in different positions is always important in a squad. Is the 24th player. How? We must have 2 players for each position and 3 golakeepers. 2×10=20 +3 =23 and more the 24th player. This is the rigth number for a squad. If we are in all the competitions we can have more 1-2 players (normally a midfield and/or back or a forward player). Simples, isn’t it?
Morning all, this fixation that people have got about the old back four amazes me, were they better than the back four we have today. was Pele better tham Maradonna questions that can never be answered, Tony and his mates won trophies against teams that were not as fit as we are now, our training and medical treatment is lightyears ahead of how things were then. the speed of Premier football today suprises many new players that join from foreign climbs and a settleing time is needed, i have no doubts that an Arsenal side of today would absolutely kill one of Tonys time, nice to look back at old legends but not to compare, everything is different and you can’t turn back time. All teams have improved since those days and the power of money has changed the top teams our old players would not get a look in nowadays i am pretty sure of that.But great post as normal AK
You also have to consider the rules that have changed Offside then was offside and not left to the referee’s discetion the passback rule has been changed probably the goalkeepers steps and holding times have aso been messed about with so many changes makes for diferent results
Hi JM, Bent cost Vilaa an awful lot of money, £18 Million or thereabouts i think, can’t see Wenger spending that kind of money….
Afternoon Steve
You are a hard man 😉
What about the attackers and co that Adams and Keown kept out in 1998 😉
Rico he will never go to the tiny totts! As for Chelsea they need a quality CB as JT is way past it. Manure has Vidic……………….and IMHO thats it! Rio is long past it and very injury prone and as for Jones and Smalling well they are English and there for world beaters to many. Not to me i have seen nothing from them on a sustained basis that tells me that they are world class. They may well become that but nowhere near that yet. Cahill and Vidic would be ideal to bring those two through and I would not be surprised if old red nose will make a move for him.
And Adam2 I respect everyones opinion and we all have a right to one. but how on earth you can point to Cahill, currently a part of a terrible team defense, as a better defender than Vermailen, Merts (capped 70 times plus for Germany, a far superior footballing nation compered to the English side today) Or for that matter Kozzer is simply beyond me!
We can all point to a terrible start and say our defenders are not good enough but lets analyse that a bit. Who of our current defense was playing at old trafford? Kozzer. All others were out injured so we played with 2 19 year old fullbacks and JD to partner Kozzer. Of these 4 Trarore is gone Jenkinson is coming on in leaps and bounds and JD is a 4th choice. We are steadily improving and a lot of that has to do with midfield and defenders getting to know each other.
As for Merts not being Wengers 1 or second choice go back and read the interview’s with Merts where it comes out clearly that Wenger wanted to buy him LAST year but could not get Bremen to sell. IMO the only reason he also made a bit for Cahill was the doupt over vermalien’s injury.
http://www.seagulls.co.uk/page/Latest/0,,10433~2518706,00.html
Steve, its not a fixation, that defence was a bit special, they hated conceding goals, regarded by some as the best back four in the whole of europe at the time, would have got to show it off a whole lot more if it weren’t for the european ban, the way they went about their business was no mean feat.
Steve very good point on comparing the old defense and the new. The rule change greatly favors the attacker today as IMO it was the other way around in Tony’s day. But hell……they were good though:)
You may turn out to be right about Cahill TT, we’ll soon find out and what will be will be I guess… I just like him and wish he’d be part of our set up… Then i think our defence would be sorted for the next 4/5 maybe more seasons ahead…
Re Jones and Smalling, they could actually end up being the pairing for England that pushes Cahill out, the media and old red nose rave about them, and we both know thats enough for the england manager to pick them 😉
It’s good to disagree though, choice of players is a personal thing very often…
Your right Gooners, they were good if not brilliant in their time. Please don’t think i am knocking them.
Afternoon Gooners.
Afternoon Rico.
Tony Adams resigning?
Wonder if he can do a bit of coaching for us?
Off for a spell to read the comments…
Lee – we should sign him up, just in case 😉
This won’t please Wath
Marouane Fellaini this January, the Belgian international has signed a deal to keep him with current employers Everton for five years.
They were brilliant Steve, well, Adams, Bould, Keown, Winterburn and Dixon 🙂
Afternoon AK, yep, family issues he says, but the resluts have been poor for his club….
Everyone is calling for the head of Blatter, they want Platini to take over, not quite out of the frying pan into the fire, but not far off….
Rico, looks as if i’ve missed some good chat today.
Lee: 11.00/11.01, agree mate, but M’Vila at £25m could be a bit inflationary for us.
I liked the look of that guy DG was talking about yesterday.
Back to the comments…
It’s always good chat AK 😉
Rico, strange isn’t it, a few months, even weeks ago, a lot of people were coming on here and other blogs complaining about our lack of defenders, particularily central-defenders [DG].
Now we’ve got ppl coming on and saying we’ve got too many.
A couple of injuries in February to our central-defenders [DG] and we’ll get ppl coming on here screaming about why Wenger didn’t buy a defender in January.
A no win situation with football fans… 🙄
:'(
StevieP, 1.03 & 1.15… Good points mate.
But Keown & Bould, in particular, were intelligent enough and technical enough to have adapted to modern trends, even Adams could have adapted his game.
As far as having too many defenders…
Well, for those that can remember, like Wath, just recall the 1988 League Cup Final that Gus Ceasar handed to Luton Town. When we had only 3 central-defenders [DG] and an injury to O’leary meant Ceasar played. Graham never forgot and made sure he always had plenty of options for central-defence…
You can never have too many AK 😉
I truly believe we are still one injury away from being in trouble, ok right now we have three very good CH’s but, I just have lost all faith in JD and the thought of Squilli playing scares me….
Ok, we have Song who can drop back, but that then exposes our midfield so I hope we eithere get TV’s buddy or Cahill in Jan….
TT: 11.46, Baines is a good shout and i’d love to see him in an Arsenal shirt.
Being English there would be a premium to pay.
Maybe Wenger has his eye on a left-back equivelent to Jenkinson.
How much more satisfying is it to buy a bargain rather than pay over-the-odds just to garner a few headlines?!
We are still a spine away from being up with the likes of Citeh, Chavs and Mancs…
Mick, my Paternal Grandmother had some Irish in her family.
And i do have green-eyes.
Does that qualify me to join the ‘Green/Gold Army’…? 😉
http://www.insidefutbol.com/2011/11/17/anzhi-makhachkala-ready-to-make-good-on-arsenal-defender-interest/52859/
Rico, I think we are up with the chavs!
Lee, that is great news mate…..
Tomaetoe…
Rico; 2.39… agree boss.
I am a Cahill fan, the same as you, but Vertonghen could be the answer as he can fill in 3 or 4 positions.
Not sure what his CL situation is..?
As far as having too many defenders , i would buy both Cahill and Samba, personally some players play better with different players and in my mind if we could sort out the right pairings everybody could have a break now and again. as AK has said, we are coming to the time when games come thick and fast . I would be inclined to sell who don’t figure or give them away and buy in who do. Same for other positions, if the forwards we have are any good we should be seeing more of them otherwise buy a good un and out the rest, my mind tells me we need a reliable keeper either a top keeper or a very good substitute never stop trying to improve.
I’m not 100% sure just yet Lee
Besides those four…..PM, LK, TV and if possible Cahill, then there are Bartley and Miguel. That makes it 6. Is that enough??? even a couple of injuries can see us still strong.
Vertonghen and Ajax are in the CL AK, they sit second in group d behind Real Madrid…
Guess he would be CL cup tied so unless they don’t qualify, I can’t see him moving in Jan
Some say centre-back, some say centre-half, some say central-defender, others like Wath remember when they were called a Third-Back…. 😀
Off to the gym. lata
TT, my point regarding Cahill is that he is more versatile in regard to defending than our current CB’s are, I think you over rate them somewhat . Mertesacker has always played in German teams and looks to be struggling in our league in away games when Wenger uses his high line attacking tactics .
Your excuses for the hammering at United do not stand up to scrutiny, because anyone elese ,other than Wenger ,on finding themselves in the position regarding player selections that he was in that day ,would have used different tactics to at least keep the score down!
Instead Wenger of this Wenger of course went for goals …
Steve – that would be a luxury to have samba and cahill, two beasts in the air – it suprises me how often Merts got beat in the air against the chavs…..
DG, have you given up on JD too??
The other qualities of both Samba and Cahill is they score from set pieces – someone said here not long ago, how do we not score more goals from corners?
And I mean, from the actual kick and a header home…
Hi Rico, Merts may be ok at the back but as far as positioning goes for corners he lacks that skill i don’t honestly remember him getting on the end of any, and for a guy that big he should stay back.
As an old centre forward i used to leave my run in late untill i knew where the ball was going, they tend to stand and wrestle with defenders, and can never get to the ball, wheres the savy in that
You won’t hear me disagreeing there Steve, he’s no greyhound…
Diaby was one who liked to get on the end of a corner, not that his header was accurate but at least he was there 😉
TV is poss the most effective in the air, he meets the ball, where as so many of ours just bounce it off there heads – i think you said about that here before, we don’t seem to really challenge in the air like we used to in the Paddy days….
Maybe bergkamp will have a little word in vertonghen’s shell like, get him to see the light.
Diabys winner at old trafford was something else rico.
No Rico. I have not given up on Cahill. But I speak as a coach and at the end of the day if my squad can be improved than I am sorry but I have to move a player to make space for someone who is better. It still irks me that we lost Muamba or Diarra when they could have grown with us simply because we had someone else occupying their place and because it suited the slimy toad from spain who wanted his best friend.
All the time I am thinking, in what ways do I improve my team. And I do take decisions even though sometimes they may be difficult.
Steve, I’d bet you used to put the goalie in the back of the net as well.
Not Cahill DG, JD??
What, for them Micko……. 🙁
OOOOpssss. Sorry. I meant JD not Cahill. But you got what I meant didn’t you???
DG, agree re Muamba and Diarra….
Devil, muamba hasn’t been pulling up any tree’s since he left us, diarra on the other hand should never have been allowed to leave, wenger cocked up there, although his attitude did stink, he said we were always going to be a stepping stone in his development, it left us very short in midfield at the time and I think madrid paid 20 million for his services, we let me go to portsmouth for a measly 5 mill.
Hi Micko your right there mate, no goalkeeper protection in those days. People went down when they was hurt no diving and no faining injury when a player stayed down for more than five minutes an ambulance was called a proper mans game
Micko, you’re worth more than 5 mill imho….
I don’t like to brag lee, you know how it is.
😆
Goonster knee-deep in shims???
Micko, Muamba has done ok, in fact, i don’t think he’s any worse than Song 😉 But, we need M’Vila…
Diarra – big mistake letting him go which i still believe was down to Flamoney ……
I reckon we’ll see him on holidays from hell in the next couple of weeks claiming when he went to bed she was definately a woman but when he woke up in the morning she had turned into a man.
The Thai floods are getting worse. A Bangkok lady being interviewed on Sky News has just said that the water is now up to her nuts!!
Who Micko?
Do I need to keep up 😉
Yesterday the comments were passing me and Micko by….
My turn today then – maybe i need to get out more….. 🙂
I can’t say rico, goonster might do me for slander.
If I tell you Rico, I may have to kill you.
You boys 😉
Gunners given Cahill boost
Arsenal have been handed a transfer boost with the news Bolton could be willing to listen to offers for Gary Cahill in January.
The Gunners were hot on the trail of the England international during the summer when they had a bid, believed to be less than £10million, turned down by the Whites.
Having become frustrated with the chase for the centre-half manager Arsene Wenger turned his attention to Per Mertesacker, bringing the German centre-back in from Werber Bremen.
Despite bringing in Mertesacker Wenger could still be interested in Cahill and Bolton manager Owen Coyle’s admission he may have to sell in January may persuade the Frenchman to make another bid.
Cahill’s contract expires in the summer and rather than risk losing him for nothing when his deal ends Coyle admits they could listen to offers in the new year.
“That is something that will be seen to be the case in January,” Coyle said, when asked about Cahill’s future.
“I would love to work with Gary Cahill every day of the week for as long as I could because he is a top player and a fantastic young man.
“Again, sometimes things are taken out of your grasp. We will wait and see what January brings.”
North London rivals Tottenham are known to be interested as well so Arsenal could have a fight on their hands if they are interested.
it seems that Kieran Gibbs will to undergo a hernia operation.
how many weeks / months will he be missing as someone said earlyer tv could be playing there so perhaps 1 more in the middle in jan.
LOL Adam2 your argument defeats it self! I agree that it was a terrible tactical phuckup that occurred at OT and I can not blame the players for that. Having 20 Cahills will NOT compensate for Wengers tactical nativity any better than the players we already have. As for being versatile let me point to Kozzer and Verm. Both can fill in as fullbacks and both can play in midfield. Verm has played as LB and DM and Kozzer as RB. when we played Barca at the emeraits Kozzer had Messi under tight control and worked like a man marker. I honestly cant see what more we could ask of these two in terms of versatility. And as for Mert he is still new to the team but already brings with him a calming effect that I am sure most of us have noticed. Give him time to adapt better and we have a even better player on our hands.
Hi mog, that has to be 4-6 weeks out….
Off for dinner… back in a bit….
Evening Gooners
Where’s Wath?
JM is working no doubt [probably in the pub]…
Mick, £5m, you must Darren Dein as your agent….
must ‘have’
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15772629.stm
Septic Bladder is in the brown stuff again…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15779584.stm
Luke Freeman’s gone out on loan.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/40580/free-video-henry-trains-with-arsenal
I’m here AK, just eating 😉
Hiya AK. Pa got everything. So that puts your mind at rest.
AA heading off to Italy for a reported Eur10Mill. Dont know what to make of it. Its in the italian headlines.
Luke Freeman has joined Stevenage for two months. At 18 that can only mean one thing. He will not be making it at the emirates. WSU???
While TH14 is training with AFC. Now do you think that AW should sign him up like Milan did with Beckham?? My heart would like it but my mind says no.
Gotenborg-Arsenal – ladies… I think it’s difficult.
Any news for Saturday ?
JM, you in the pub…. again… 😉
Hiya Rico/DG…..
Freeman…. hmm, not sure what to think about that DG.
TH14 around the training ground can only be a good thing.
I think Thierry is thinking more in terms of coaching rather than playing…
Any tips that he can pass can only be a good thing.
Imagine Thierry taking Afobe and Watt for some specialist coaching…
Boo.. back with a full tum 🙂
Chicken curry for me…..
I multi-tasked with the wok… 🙂
Crap news re: Gibbs.
How did it happen?
What happened with Gibbs????
Just checked……..Arsenal full back Kieran Gibbs looks to be out until Christmas as a stomach problem has forced him into hernia surgery.
The surgery could keep him out for up to six weeks making it unlikely he will be fit in time for the Christmas programme.
Get you AK……. 😉
Not good about Gibbs – 6 weeks out i guess….
And, if Santos gets injured, tell me that TV won’t be at LB..
Gibbs is out until the New Year then?
I’d have thought so…..
Well that’s one defender out!
Rico 😀
Guys, we have to accept that Gibbs is another Rosicky…
He is too thin, too slight and his body is crocked.. and he’s what, 21 years old… It just isn’t going to happen for him unless he takes time out and sorts his body out……
Liandro Damiao, 22, striker.
According to his agent, Arsenal have put in a bid for him.
When the agent starts gobbing off, that usually means no agreement is on the cards.
He is just another Adriano……both in skill and in attitude. Better steer clear of him. I wish AW would stop all this malarkey and instead of going towards trouble maker south americans/africans he goes for European quality players like Podolski, Vertonghen, Eriksen.
How many africans do you see at Manure? Or more appropriately at Manure since djemba djemba???
The answer to that is ZILCH
🙂 AK…. Iwon’t belive any rumour anymore…..
I have to go guys, got to be up at 5.30am – be back by 10am hopefully….
Have a good one guys and gals… Til tomorrow….
Nighty night..
gd night Rico. Sleep tight. I wake up at 5.30 everyday.
Good night Rico…. Soap-time… 😉
DG, i’ve got an early start tomorrow,
so i’ll bid you sahha and goodnight.
Sahha to you habib. Righto off to hug the pillow. The prince is already asleep.
Night all
Leandro Damiao!!!! In summer I said this name and Gameiro! Nobody listen to me!!!!
I’m quite AW read HH specialy my suggestions 🙂
Fucking injuries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙁
New Post up….
Who is injured Lee??