Insanity Reigns On Everton Eve
Jan 31st, 2011 by 'holic
The sheer madness of deadline day is not yet fully unfurled as I type the first words of another brief preview. The drinks, and the comments fields on every football blog it seems, are full of astonishment at the £35 million price tag for a player Newcastle could not have given away eighteen months ago. If you just take a step back though you may care to consider that Liverpool haven’t done so badly out of this insane day of dealing.
Just allow yourself to think for a moment that if Torres had sold for £30 million (and he certainly isn’t as good a player at the moment as his international colleague David Villa, who cost Barca little more than that) and Liverpool had paid an altogether more reasonable £15 milion for the lowlife Geordie, then that level of profit to spend on another player or two to strengthen a fragile-looking squad would have been regarded as shrewd dealing, possibly? That sum remains the profit, whatever the numbers.
There is no doubt that the winners today were Newcastle, who trousered a considerable wedge of Roman’s millions, and that eventually the losers will prove to be Chelsea. How can you hope to satisfy any judgement of financial fair play when blowing such absurd sums on one player? How can blowing your wad on a moody so-and-so who contributed much to the malaise at Anfield this season be regarded as sensible. Even should he discover his old form by actually pulling his finger out in what remains of the season, just how much commitment and character will he display in the long term at the bus stop in Fulham? You cannot help but feel that player and club deserve each other.
I digress, and now have fewer minutes left to consider the Tuesday meeting with Everton. In a nutshell, the fact that we are playing little more than 48 hours after our FA Cup tie with Huddersfield is not a cause for complaint. Neither can it be any sort of excuse. Clearly the boss played as weak a starting side as he thought he could get away with in the FA Cup in order to have the strongest side available for the far bigger prize that is the Premier League. Given we were eventually successful the only problem with that strategy is the ‘collateral damage’ to Nasri.
The side that starts against David Moyes’ team will bear no relation to the one that struggled to overcome League One opposition. Expect recalls for Szczesny, Djourou, Clichy, Song, Fabregas, Wilshere, Walcott, and van Persie at least. Sagna would be welcome too if he has recovered from concussion. We are back to pointing the biggest guns available at the enemy, hopefully in rapid-fire mode. Everton, beaten just once (at Stoke) since November, have lost Pienaar to Stratford Hotspur, and could be without the influential Cahill.
The side that will start for Arsenal is on fire, and I have to place the ‘holic pound in the belief that we will continue that run. After four consecutive three-goal performances we managed only two against Huddersfield, so for no reason other than to maintain our recent average i am punting on 4-1 to Arsenal in this one (at 20/1). That would be seriously impressive and send a message out to those who have spent the equivalent of the GDP of a third world country today.
Don’t get me wrong. I would like to have seen us spend some of the cash washing about in the vaults at the Grove. So many feel a couple of astute signings could strengthen our hand in the months coming up. I will however as the question I ask every time we don’t act in the window. Name me the players who moved, that we would have wanted to buy, at a price that we would have wanted to pay, and who would have wanted to come to us? You can’t, can you?
Have a good one ‘holics.
200 Responses to “Insanity Reigns On Everton Eve”
Surely there was an obscure French or Polish defender to be had…
I wouldn’t have minded that forward that West Ham have snapped up from Dulwich Albion 😉
Any and I mean any neutral football fan in this country should want us to win the league from this day forward just to prove there is another way to win the big prizes rather than just throwing obscene amounts of cash at it, This is not sport it’s an exercise in shopping and one upmanship and it’s something I carnt fully comprehend. The lunatics have finally taken over the Asylum 😉
Should have added when Arry thinks a players (Carroll) is over priced you know things have taken a turn to the loony bin 😉
Couldn’t have been said better holic. I can’t believe the crazy amounts going on and so far, the only defender of repute going around (as let’s face it, we all worry only about a center back) is David Luiz and there is no way Wenger will pay that sort of money. Contracts are certainly signed nowadays to ensure clubs get a fee for players should they decide to leave. Atrocious is what it is.
Four league games this month, and four wins are imperative such is the gap at the moment (not least as I’d expect Man Utd to beat Villa and Wolves over the next few days). I’m hopeful we can take that first step tomorrow but I can remember Everton almost taking all three points when they came to visit last season, they’re a very ‘blow hot and cold’ team. Fingers crossed…
Madjid Bougherra.
according to a friend some fool threw out this sentence: MR. Andrew Carroll is worth every penny of three Samir Nasri´s. Possibly the funniest thing ive heard this century.
It seems Bougherra’s transfer has escaped the Rangers website as well as every major national newspaper.
They let him go where?
Holic…
fine post still we never agree mate…
there is no money in the vault of emirates ..we are being ripped off…Wenger has said..Hilly Woody has stated and Gazidis keeps on saying it every penny we earn will be invested in the Team…??
well that means one thing only…there is NO money…i wouldnt dare to suggest that theese fine outstanding members of Our Beloved Arsenal is lying ??
on another note who needs investments eh ?..we have more than good cover….fab out..well we have the world class Almunia to step in…..only two CB*s..not for very long…the top top quality CB Squillaci is back in a flash..and Wermy is just around the corner and after such a shlrt lay off…he will be ready in a week…
look at the loanees list Holic mate…and then think about it…we have become a training vlub..and im sad to say we’re doing a pretty good job at it…making money…so there isnt a fat chance in h*ll that Hilly Woody is off up there in the Kentish Country to grow tomatoes…he will increase ticket prices and live just dandy as long as this scam is allowed to continue…
shamefull…
David Moyes’ teams are usually tough to break down, so again, patience will be key tomorrow night.
Thankfully the momentum has been maintained with that “fortunate” win against the Terriers, so the boys will be full of confidence. Will AW go with Arsh, with no Nasri or will he be more conservative and go with Diaby or Rosicky?
The transfer malarkey today has been completely bonkers and with levels of cash being talked about, I’m glad that our club is not run in such a way.
Would’ve liked a reasonably priced centre half coming in though!!
CoYRRR’s
I too was keen on another centre back but am a bit calmer about it now. T.V sounds like he is almost back while Djorou now looks like a top 4 EPL defender. He makes the odd error here or there but I think he will iron those out. I also think that since the start of the new year Koscielny has started to look the part and then we have Squillacci as our 4th choice. That is not so bad for me. I think trying to buy now is almost impossible and I don’t think there is anyone reasonable out there who was available. I can understand AW leaving it til the summer and then re-assess and see if we need to get the likes of Sakho or Cahill. One thing though, without even buying, I would rather see Lansbury back playing the games Denilson does as a DM.
The best buisnes done in the January window was the signing of Arshivan, says a Liverpool fan.
Apologies Clive. That response looks dismissive in black and white.
Check what I wrote again. The four provisos. He fails the first (he hasn’t gone anywhere) and I am reliably informed he would have failed two of the other three at least…
here is the current loanees list..i borrowed it from Lady Arse who is doing a great blog..
and Holic here is the real deal…not one of the players on this list will ever be in an Arsenal XI..
in my opinion they are being trained for sale..
Gilles Sunu To: Lorient Until: End of Season
Carlos Vela To: WBA Until: End of Season
Aaron Ramsey To: Cardiff Until: February 26th 2011
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas To: Cardiff Until: End of Season
Ryo Miyaichi To: Feyenoord Until: End of Season
Wellington Silva To: Levante Until: End of Season
Vito Mannone To: Hull Until: End of Season
Henri Lansbury To: Norwich City Until: End of Season
Benik Afobe To: Huddersfield Until: End of Season
Sanchez Watt To: Leeds Until: End of Season
Kyle Bartley To: Sheffield United Until: End of Season
Mark Randall To: Rotherham United Until: End of Season
Cedric Evina To: Oldham Athletic Until: 5th February 2011
Gavin Hoyte To: Lincoln City Until: End of Season
Francis Coquelin To: Lorient Until: End of Season
Armand Traore To: Juventus Until: End of Season
Nacer Barazite To: Vitesse Arnhem Until: End of Season
Pedro Botelho To: FC Cartagena Until: End of Season
Samuel Gallindo To: UD Salmanca Until: End of Season
i would like to say that Ramsey looked the real deal…and nothing would have pleased me more…still after shawp*ss set out for the kill….im sorry to say he wont be back…but im willing to still give him a shot…it should be mentioned however that very few makes it back after such a horrific assault…
but Larsson did it for Rangers…so im saving a prayer for Ramsey
Holic
Are you sure you haven’t got carried away with all the ” Monday madness ” in the transfer market.!!
4-1 against Everton.!! Jesus mate,you might need to be renamed
” The Eternal Optimist “.
Everton have played 12 league games away this season,lost only 3,
and conceded only 14 goals,just over a goal a game.
You are punting on us scoring almost a 1/3rd of those goals in one game.!!
Pass the sugar Mum,Holic’s gone Walkabout.!!
has any thing been said about arsenal today with transfer news?
I did think we would of got a player on loan at least??????????????
Please
Ramsey will be fine it was a clean break and the lad just needs playing time we won’t see him properly till next season but i carnt see any long term damage – Im glad you wernt the trainer of seabiscuit you’d have shot him after 4 furlongs 😉
Not quite one hundred percent accurate after today, that list, but I understand the point you are making.
It is actually not a valid point in relation to the argument though. I’ll tell you that three of the players on that list at least will play for Arsenal competitively again, but how much is down to a variety of things I really can’t go into.
Look at any intake of kids, and if one or two make it then the club has had a result. Look at the squad and realise how many were brought in from outside for money that WAS tight from 2006-2010.
That is in no way related to the fact that we are contesting four trophies without spending the sort of money deemed necessary by outfits who will find their profligacy punished in the coming years.
I’m not happy we have bought nobody, but let’s debate the issue without dragging up red herrings.
seabiscuit would have been stone cold Chippy ;)..sausages anyone ?
and i usually barge in here Holic with my opinions mate..
but i would like to take this opportunity to say this..You write a top Blog Sir..keep up the good Work 🙂
opinions are just that opinions ..
I hope Ramsey will make it!! High hopes for JET and LAnsbury,as for the foreign legion god knows but Wellington ,RYo and Coq inspire hope
Pedro worth a try as3rd place left back so sell Traore and the rest whilst at it to buy a young right back and a defensive’ mid as cover next year please
tom you really are stoned – Larsson did it for Rangers?
On a more serious note, you’re a bit dismissive of Ramsey are you not?
Absolutely tom, and you are welcome. You and I have no right to be right, just a right to disagree civilly, and I don’t have a problem with that. You are welcome fella.
Clive W, you are probably right. It dragged on a bit, that preview. By the time I got to the pound I was moving from Guinness to Bushmills 😉
i love this last part….
“I will however as the question I ask every time we don’t act in the window. Name me the players who moved, that we would have wanted to buy, at a price that we would have wanted to pay, and who would have wanted to come to us? You can’t, can you?”…
perhaps none but a decent CD is an ideal gamble….Squillaci & Lauren dont just strike me as fit enough for the jersey.Wenger had us all fooled i guess…begining his comment was “if Veminators injury is untreated by that 1st week in january,he might be forced to buy,almost immediately Squllacis injury…..still Wenger wont buy….
Just got lucky other teams are playing badly seriously….and inform Djourou……i wonder what this junks can do if Verminator himself found it hard to defend against Messi…
ZicoinExcile…
it wasnt funny then ? ok The bhoys then…on another note the Zico was a great great player…almost Bergkampish ;
What ever happened to Lauren 😉
Stone cold, I rather my sausages contain pork than race horse 😉 Saying that some of the donkeys I’ve backed recently would make a better sausage!!
Afobe,Ramsey,Emmanuel Thomas,Bartley and Wellington Silva will all have first team careers at Arsenal.Remember Wilshere ,Bendtner and Djourou had long loan spells and returned.
Letting Bartley move when we are so short at centre back is ridiculous and wemger has failed once again to anticipate injuries in a key position.He is becoming more miserly with each season
Ramsey, Afobe and Coquelin will make it at Arsenal.
Tom –
Sorry mate I don’t understand your point at present. We are the only team challenging for all four trophies, in the Beer cup final, almost guaranteed to be in the FA quarters…second in the league
…let’s celebrate mayne…
…please don’t tread on the youngsters yet…Song, Wilshere and Shezzer were once sent on loan and are now in the XI, so I will have to kindly and respectfully conclude that your claims are rubbish and that you are yet another Arsene Winger!
What are you drinking my brother?
VVC!
…I meant VCC…Lol!
Holic
If we put 3 or 4 past them,i will tip my hat,but i will settle for any sort of win.
On another matter,i see Chelsea lost 71,yes that’s 71,MILLION POUNDS last season,despite winning the Domestic League and Cup Double,yet they are still able to throw a lazy 70 odd Mill on the table for Torres and Luiz.
There seems to be NO accountability any more.
Even Old Red Nose must be shaking his head in disbelief.
absinth Goonertown..and i must admit its pretty darned good mate ;..
well off…Have a great Evening all Gooners and Holic’s alike..
Holic, I have given it a lot of thought and in my considered opinion, Samba wouldve been a decent signing.
As for the loanees list, what else is a club meant to do with its youth players? That ramsey fella aint too bad, while bartley (whose just gone to Rangers) JET Lansbury Coquelin are very highly rated and I expect them to be in our 1st team squad next season. That would be remarkable if all those made it, considering the amount of young players who dont make the grade. The percentages must be less than 10% who make it.
How comes that useless piece of cack Wilshere isnt on tat list? Oh yeah!
No ONE player can mark Messi out of a game.
A TEAM can stop him.
Mourinho’s Inter has shown the way–hadn’t they beaten Barca last season?
I hope Walcott plays a good game tomorrow. Wenger has been saving him the past fortnight for this game. Right?
Yes, Wenger has lied or gone back on his words. Can’t help it, right?
No club is totally honest with fans nowadays.
The Arsenal will always be on edge in the second half of the season.
That is the way it’s gonna be.
The chavs spent heavily on their youth set up when they tapped up Arnesen from the spuds, who instead of taking the chavs to task and the FA courts, took the russians filthy ill gotten instead.
Now 3 years on or so and they have lost patience with their youth project and gone back to their old ways, ie; spunking obscene amounts on big names. So much for balancing the books eh? Torres will be injured in a week of 2, he’s almost as injury prone as our boy Wonder.
As much as I was hoping for a signing (or 2) I despise the chav model.
Thank you Clive for providng a bit of sobriety to check the excesses of the Bushmills inspired ‘holic pound. On the other hand, the cold hard facts can lead us astray at times unless we are not afraid to call upon our imaginative faculties, and I myself have found Bushmillls to be useful in that regard, upon occasion. Let’s wait with baited breath on that 4-1 and provide due congratulations when (if?) it comes. If it does come, I am sure the makers of Bushmills will receive them with a hearty Up the Arse.
Mug, Samba has gone nowhere, and in fact is rumoured to be signing a new long-term deal at Ewood. Read what I wrote again 😉
‘Holic
Ahhhh…. a port of calm in a sea of madness.
I’m assuming that Chelski do have a master plan? I can only guess that they think they are buying their way back into EPL and/or CL silverware this season and attempting to plug and play newer replacements for an ageing and possibly faultering squad. Come May, we’ll see if their plan is a good one or not.
Certainly the two big deals today are totallly out of kilter with the general financial conditions let alone the attempts by UEFA to instill some form of financial sanity into football economics that seem to be away with the fairies.
Still, a couple of sensible buys that would have added more steel to our defensive spine would have felt good but I cannot get past your 4 questions and provide suitable names. So, as you say, let’s forget the Pottytime antics and turn the focus on the serious business if winning football matches, starting tomorrow.
I’ll be at The Grove to help welcome The Toffees so if your generous prediction comes true, I’ll be delighted. I think I’ll have modest flutter on 3-1 in the ground, just for laughs. Everton without Pien-arse and Cahill against Arsenal’s first XI should give us a decent margin but as always, more than happy to see the old 1-0 at full time.
A round for all please barman, one for yourself and a wee nip of single malt to help digest my supper.
Cheers to all!
thundertinygooner
I dont think letting bartley go out on loan is a bad idea, he has no premier league experience and he is going to play under Walter Smith who is pretty good at setting up ence, he will be well served up there and will do his development the world of good.
No, what might turn out as a bad move, was not signing an experienced quality CB mate.
Holic
Oh, sorry, I meant to say, I was not abiding by your criterion! I just think Samba would be an ideal signing; quick, tall, decent technique and not over priced! 😀
torres 50mils caroll 35mil,how much is fabulous worth?
TS, thank you. I suspect your 3-1 is a wiser punt than mine. 11/1 at Bet365. Not bad.
Hope you and Lars have a good one. Look out for BtM under the brolly next to the car park. Smartly dressed with an umistakeable accent of north of Hadrians, and great company. Have a Guinness for me!
I’m sure you are right (see 6 above). Just got excited when Bartley went to Rangers that we might get MB. Tall, good header, can play DM as well as CB.
Too much to hope for?
BTN@36
I must admit i had to do a double take when i saw Holic’s optimistic
4-1 prediction.
I suspect even TS’s 3-1 @38 is just a tad less so.
Qatar is only a short hop to the UK,and with the AC Final finishing on Sat night,there is more than enough time for Cahill to get back and recover.
So i would not be surprised to see him figure in the game somewhere.
With our frailties at corners/free kicks,Cahill and the taller timber at Everton will be relying on us giving them a few opportunities to give us another rigorous defensive examination.
Methinks we need to score First to win this one.
He was never on the radar, Clive. Just press speculation.
I have to confess I am surprised we haven’t got another two previously little known Europeans with Champions League experience in a couple of areas.
Enquiries were made, I honestly believe. Oh well, let’s win stuff and then claim the moral high ground again 😉
Clive W, I have to say I’m hoping Cahill is jetlagged and cannot play, or 4-3 maybe a better bet than 4-1 🙂
‘Holic,
11/1 eh? Got to be worth a modest tenner 😉
I shall keep an eye/ear out for our resident Scottish poet and will raise a glass of the Black Stuff in memory of the ‘Holicdad. Howzat?
Big Willy @ #21,
Good names, here’s my prediction:
Yes to Ramsey & Miyachi,
Possibly to Lansbury & JET,
No to Wellington & Franny C
But will we remember this post 3-5 years from now?
From the BBC
2235: PREMIER LEAGUE DEADLINE DEALS SO FAR
So, as the clock ticks down to that 11pm deadline, lets have a summary of today’s Premier League transfers shall we?
In: Aston Villa (Bradley), Birmingham (Martins), Blackburn (Formica, Rochina), Blackpool (Beattie, Reid), Bolton (Sturridge), Everton (Vellios), Liverpool (Suarez, Thomas), Newcastle (Ireland), West Ham (McCallum), Wolves (Basso)
Out: Aston Villa (Ireland, Osbourne), Chelsea (Mellis, Nouble, Sturridge), Fulham (Marsh-Brown), Liverpool (Konchesky), Man City (Gonzalez, Tuttle), Man Utd (Stewart), Stoke (Moult, Tuncay), Sunderland (Da Silva, Reid), Tottenham (Dos Santos), West Brom (Downing), Wigan (Nicholls), Wolves (Davis, Keogh)
Jebus, nothing there we would have touched with a bargepole. Other than Formica of course, he would have provided some cover 😉
Number 45 – Fingers crossed it isn’t ‘just miss out and then look back to injuries and obvious weaknesses to see why we should have spent the money’.
Fine line between being sensible with cash and being blind to the needs of the team.
Geordie Collymore to Scousers now confirmed at £35m
Insane.
Clive W @ #44,
Ahhh, so with Cahill in the side a tad more tricky but with Wojciech in goal and DJ back in the heart of defence we can deal with TC and set pieces much more effectively. I’m going to stand by my 3-1 and agree with you that we will need to open the scoring. We’re good at that, it’s what happens afterwards that sometimes goes astray…
‘Holic @ #48,
Why are Torres and Carroll not in that list? Did I miss something?
‘Holic,
OK scrap my qn at #51. O&O.
‘holic, without Squillaci available, can we hope for better than 4-2??
Heh!
Maybe bt8bbnn. Will need the Pole in the goal to be at his best 🙂
No, no you can’t Harry.
On a side note, you’d have to think that this transfer window has priced Cesc out of any move to Barca…..as long as we stick to our guns.
WE won’t concede tomorrow night and yep, we will score 3 again. A brace from van persie and a Theo wonder goal.
I think if Torres scores the winner when they play united in the league, Arsenal should offer to pay off some of the transfer fee.
Dear ‘Holic love the blog… as always. A note of negativity…..All the conjecture on who we should buy and who we should get rid of is fun but totally pointless. Wenger co- wrote ‘My way’ with Paul Anka and both he and Hill -Wood have put it on record that there will be no outside influence on decisions.
I suppose any successful manager does it his way ,but Wenger has racked it up several notches-I’ve always thought he was giving us the old two’s up with his determination to prove that all those we consider unfit should be flaunted in our faces and that they will come good because he says so.The re-introduction of Almunia (AW didnt know he was going to make that matchsaving deflection)was possibly his biggest statement of intent yet.Denilson,Diaby OMG.
I hope he doesn’t muck up the (no longer) Worthless Cup Final ,as realistically only it and the FA cup are serious possibilities. I’ll be delighted if he proves me wrong and we win the League. I’ll sing it’ His way ‘forevermore in celebration .Regards
Great post Holic.
Notice how the two managers in this league with realistic financial sense and stable clubs, Wenger and Ferguson, have stayed clear of this madness, and they’re the ones occupying first and second.
Surely not, Ario? How could this be? 😉
Ario @60
Please don’t link our Great fiscally responsible Mr W, with old Red Nose when talking about financial sense and stable clubs.
Before the Mad Russian at Chelsea came along,and latterly the Arab oil money at Man City,Fergie was king of the Heap and routinely went out and spent a fortune buying Trophies.
The only reason he isn’t spending now is because Utd have a humungous debt to pay off.!!
You can be assured that if that was not the case,he would be out there throwing money every which way.
He will be sitting in his Lair tonight,crunching some bones,and venting his spleen at the injustice of it all.
Guys us without Nasri and Everton without Pinaar and possibly Cahill, I’m going to have to go for a tight and modest 2-1 at 13/2 on Bet365
Either way I’ll be quid’s in…
…til tomos Holics!
peez!
G’night G.
Just read the first of many headlines on a theme, I suspect.
Will Arsenal regret not spending in this transfer window?
Yes, I suspect, but not tonight, and what else could they have done?
Seriously?
Hello ‘holics,
Been a while since I’ve been up in here. Really missed everyone,the lovely atmosphere & the intelligent comments too.
Had trouble accessing the site through my phone till just a couple of days back.
All i’m doing right now is just trying to put myself in AW shoes,to figure out his line of reasoning behind not signing a least a DECENT cb…cos otherwise i’m almost sick with worry and the preview of the rage i’d feel if the reason we win nothing other than the CC is the fact that ”Le Professeur” refused to sign a cb in the just closed transfer window.
Which cb would you have bought, and what would you have spent?
I’ve covered the loan situation in great detail in my column in the latest Gooner. Since we’re so short of centre back cover I am incensed that the manager has let Kyle Bartley go to Rangers on loan until the end of the season rather than recall him to Arsenal as cover for us. That would be a cheap option that suits all parties. And let’s be fair Arsenal ALWAYS do things on the cheap. And I fail to see why Aaron ramsey is at Cardiff when he could’ve had ample playing time with us over the last month against Ipswich (twice) Leeds (twice) Huddersfield and maybe Orient as well. Instead we have the useless Denilson. You want a stat related to Denilson? Arsenal always play sh*t when he starts. His utter uselessness infects the entire team. I lost faith in wenger years ago and I am appalled at Arsenal becoming a feeder club for every other f*cking team in the world when we are relying on the likes of Denilson and Squillaci in our own team. We may win the Carling Cup this year, more by luck than judgement, but that will be it. Under Wenger Arsenal will be also rans in every other competition and it will continue like that until he leaves the club or abandons this ridiculous “I only sign players of 17 years or younger” policy. And because he’s so tight we even missed out on Alex Chamberlain for the sake of a few million. Watch him to go to United in the summer now. And don’t even ask what we’re going to do when Fabregas goes in the summer. It’s just too depressing as we all know the forty odd million we get will NOT go on signing a replacement.
Let me give the answer everybody is missing, Snail. I would have taken Wheater for the £2.5m Bolton paid for him…as cover.
I’m supposed to be on the other side 😉
Agree about the madness – paying £35million for a nutter who’s played 6 months of Prem League football. Pah!
And, personally, I can’t answer the 4 questions satisfactorily – but then I am not part of a world-wide scouting network.
I have to say that the Almunia-Squillaci combination, with Denilson in front of them, looked shambolic on Sunday against League 1 opposition.
We are one injury away, in all of those positions, from having to rely on those players again. We have by hook or by crook stayed in touch with the top of the league for so long, it would be such a shame to lose out now for lack of decent cover in vital positions.
I’ll accept your argument that there was no suitable available player, but why have we even loaned out our reserve CB, Kyle Bartley?
Has he not progressed, ‘cos he looked like a real prospect in the successful FA Youth Cup winning side?
Spy!
Gooner through and through. We’ll not agree on much these days, but great to see you here, maestro.
I will come and hunt you down for a pint one day. Bank or Barn these days?
2345: Harry Redknapp confirms to Sky Sports News that Tottenham made a bid – that was accepted – for Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam late in the day, but that the deal fell through because “a couple of Blackpool shareholders” just failed to get the necessary signatures on the paperwork in time. So near. So far. So Tottenham.
Oh , please, stop it. Hahahahahahahahahahaha.
I remember when the useless bastards used to ‘nearly’ sign world class players “-)
Hi Mate, It would be great to see you again after all these years! We would probably agree on quite a lot deep down. I just think Wenger is so blinkered, stubborn and one dimensional and I’m sure most Arsenal fans feel that way too. All the ones I know do anyway. They can’t wait to get rid of him and most have stopped going or rented their season tickets out. Still at least he’s playing Szczesny now which is a step in the right direction. I’m in the Barn now, much better since they’ve re-furbished it and got Sky Sports in there. Don’t tell everyone though! I’ll have a guinness and a brandy after any win! One thing before I go, a player we could afford that would improve the team..Charlie Adam, and he would be great insurance for when Fabregas leaves this summer. He’s better than Arshavin and Denilson, is only 24 and is similar to Cesc in playing style. He’s not foreign though, and will cost more than 3/6d so no chance of getting him. Think about that the next time you pay seventy quid for a grade A match at the Emirates.
@ iSnail 66
Using Sir ‘holic’s ”4 question yardstick” i’d say Chris Samba from Blackburn; He would have cost at most (even in this season of insane tranfer fees),£10m, which I think is still fairly reasonable,considering also how in my own opinion how desperate our cb situation is, he surely is decent enough to play for us and i’m pretty sure he surely would have been willing come play for us. Only thing is he didn’t move. Why? Cos we didn’t try to get him.
Sir ‘holic would love to hear your opinion about this.
Haha. I’m hearing all that. I want to see us make progress again, and think it is close now. I would have liked to have seen money spent now we finally have some. (I know we didn’t for four years despite the selective quotes you could produce to to deny that), but I cannot see (Wheater aside!) who actually was available in this window we could have grabbed.
What I do know is when we saw some dire stuff mid seventies and eighties it was not a patch on what passes for under-achievement these days.
I’ll take this lot over Powling, Kosmina, Heeley, Hawley, Hankin, and Chapman anyday.
You must get well sozzled on all that Guiness and brandy. We win a lot 🙂
Must admit holic that we normally sing from a very similar song sheet. However, for once I have to disagree with a lot you have said and many of the comments tonight.
On the 24th April 2010 I turned up at the Grove for the home game against Citeh. Yet again we had fallen apart towards the end of a season. The squad depth had been tested fully as injuries mounted.
I made my way to my seat that day and started to read the managers comments in the programme. I was interested to read his thoughts on the recent defeats at both Wigan and the Spuds. I was treated to comments along the line of that AW had identified the weaknesses in the squad. He had identified areas that needed strengthening. He even went on to say that moves were already underway to bring current targets to the club to add the extra that we needed. AW concluded by saying that he hoped to have the majority of the business done before the start of the World Cup. Fantastic we all thought. At last. The board had confirmed in the outstanding financial results that money was clearly available to add quality to the squad.
So what happened? No new keeper that we all craved made it to the Grove. If reports are to be believed re Shwartzer then all I can say is that it appears we handled things dreadfully. Sol and Gallas were both offered new contracts. Both were expected to sign. Both left. In came Squillaci and Kosceilny. Not to worry. Tommy V is top drawer. He can help the new boys integrate. Add JD to the mix and lets see what happens. But then, disaster. Tommy V picks up a serious injury early doors. Now anyone that tells me that JD, Kosceilny and Squillaci are good enough as a trio really do need to wake up and smell the coffee. JD has come on leaps and bounds. Kos has potential but for me looks out of his depth at this level at the moment. Squillaci just is not good enough.
On what do I base this I hear people cry. Take a look at the goals we concede. We are the worst team at defending teams in the league bar none. We have conceded at the weekend to a League 1 side at yet another set piece. We are lucky it was only the one. So to say that I am massively disappointed not to have bought a CB is the biggest under statement of the year. Holic, I am not going to name names but we have the best scouting network in Europe. Are we really saying that there is no one out there that would improve our back 4? Really? One other point. I really do not buy this “at a price we would pay” stuff anymore. It is basic market economics. It was the same market economics that some here seem to hate that kept Cesc at the club this season. Let’s not kid ourselves. If we had been in a situation whereby an offer of 50 million had been put on the table then we would have been tempted.
I take on board your point that if Torres helps the Chavs do the double over the mancs then we will be happy. But when you ask about potential signings why have we not been interested in someone like Torres? Yes he can be moody. But wasn’t Henry guilty of the odd mood swings? Just think what a signing like Torres would do for the club. Rumours in various media outlets have suggested that Bendtner was a wanted man at 15 million. At that to the 25 we got for Ade and we are almost there. How would we feel to see the team announced with both Torres and RVP up front? Cesc, Jack and Song just behind? Theo causing havoc on the flanks? Add that to a defence that contained a genuine world class CB and by thunder we are about there aren’t we? A signing like that would have lifted the whole club and perhaps given us the boost we need.
I love AW to death. I am very much an AW knows best bloke. I am also one of the most positive people you will ever meet. But I am genuinely massively frustrated at the lack of activity in the transfer market. The youth policy has produced good results. I also expect it to continue to do so. However I am very very bored hearing from the board about how much money we have in the bank and how nice it is looking at it. Especially when the shortfalls have been identified by almost all of us over the last 2 seasons. I am also unbelievably fed up hearing AW tell us all that he is going to do this and that in the transfer markets when it all transpires to be a lie. Arsene, if you have no intention of adding to the squad please, pretty please, just shut the fuck up.
My opinion is that I do not think this current squad is good enough to win the League or the Champs League. I really hope that I have never been more wrong. But what massively frustrates me is this. I believe we are really just the odd signing away from being truly great and that we have pot loads of dosh according to the board with which we can address the problems. Yes holic, I am pissed off.
On to the Everton game. Hopefully we play them at a good time. Anything less than a win will not do. Wholesale changes expected and so tiredness should not be an issue. It will be interesting to see what the atmosphere is like after zero activity.
The rest of the season is about as big as it gets for AW and the board. Failure this year I feel will not be tolerated by many of those in attendance each week. Especially when we have the means to rectify the problem.
Onwards and upwards holics. A Pedigree with a Pedigree chaser if you please. I need a drink.
I think people are way too harsh on Squillaci.
He has been good when playing with Djourou (Man City away, Fulham after Koscielny suffered the concussion etc’).
The partnership with Koscielny has not been good but that doesn’t mean he’s not a good CB.
My bigger worry is that Song, Koscielny and Cesc are all on 4 yellows in the EPL.
Luckily enough, our next set of fixtures should be relatively easy (or easier).
Stop seeing everything as black even if we didn’t sign anybody.
Wenger did make a very good point about having 5 CB at the club means paying 5 CB and having 3 of them unhappy.
We ARE gonna win the EPL and we DO have the best squad in the EPL.
I can’t even begin to answer that at this time of night, Steve!
It would take some persuasive defence too…
But I have a big meeting in the morning and one double of Bushmills left in the bottle. It is wind down time 😉
Laters mates. Don’t forget to tell everybody Gooner royalty was in tonight! Cheers Spy.
And hello and g’night Snir.
Take care all.
Sorry holic. I was in proper rant mode…………
Wow ‘Holic, if Highbury Spy is Gooner through and through, I’d hate to see a turncoat.
But I trust your judgment…
We’ll be fine fellas. Wait and see.
@ iSnail 66
Using Sir ‘holic’s ”4 question yardstick” i’d say Chris Samba from Blackburn; He would have cost at most (even in this season of insane tranfer fees),£10m, which I think is still fairly reasonable,considering his quality & in my own opinion how desperate our cb situation is, he surely is decent enough to play for us and i’m pretty sure he surely would have been willing come play for us. Only thing is he didn’t move. Why? Cos we didn’t try to get him.
Sir ‘holic would love to hear your opinion about this.
Steve T, you are a top man. I couldn’t have put any of what you say better. You say failure this year will not be tolerated, well a lot of my mates didn’t tolerate it after last year. Once the crowd dips to less than 50K the board will act. I don’t think that day is too far off. Our main gripe is this: we were promised that by moving to the Emirates we could compete with all the top European clubs on player wages and transfer funds. After five years nothing could be further from the truth. We have been lied to and we are being taken for mugs. I dread what Barcelona are going to do to us over two legs. A year on with no tangible improvement in the team whatsoever. If we get stuffed by less than 6-3 on aggregate over the two legs it will be a miracle.
Carrol to L’pool for £35 million. Were they drunk?
@ ‘Holic: Torres may not be better than Villa at the moment, but he’s younger, and that always inflates the price. Barcelona will not sell Villa at a profit in a few years time, because he’ll be around 34 when his current contract expires.
I guess you could argue that the Chavs aren’t likely to sell Torres either, but with the UEFA new fair play rules, who knows? After all, until now they didn’t need to sell anyone, did they? We’ll see how it goes for them. (for Some reason the words “sinking” and “ship” spring to mind 🙂 )
I like your 4-criteria list when it comes to transfer dealings, but I would shorten it to three personally. I’m nit sure the “player who moved in this transfer window” criterion is very relevant. I think we can reasonably show interest in a player and move for him to make the transfer happen if we really needed him. Not that I encourage that, especially since doing so tends to inflate the price even more (which would clay with question number 2 or 3) nit to mention it would unsettle the player in question (see : the Mark Schwarzer saga last summer), and that’s just not the Arsenal way. But still, we could do it.
Ah. Time for a drink now. Mr Barman, I’ll have the same thing the Liverpool owners were having when they decided to fork out 35 million quids on Caroll 😉
😉
*would clash, not “clay”
Argh! Damn you iPhone keyboard! Damn you!
Snir – would it be out of place for me to remind you that Koscielny’s concussion vs Fulham was inflicted by Squillaci running smack into him, ‘cos he wasn’t even looking where he was going!
I thought he looked ok at first, but i’ve lost confidence in him. He likes to run the ball out of defence, fair enough, but far too often gives it away and leaves himself miles out of position.
Neither does he appear to be one of the game’s great communicators.
Sorry to be negative and all that, but from where I sit that’s how it appears.
Guess we are left to hope that TV5’s recovery is swift and complete.
How often will he be able to play though after 6 month’s out ?
Having thought about this a bit longer I wonder if AW actually has a mental block when it comes to centre halves? Just think about it for a second. Some of his signings have been strokes of complete genius. Henry, Pires, Freddie, Paddy, Overmars, Petit, Cesc, RVP etc etc. The list is endless. When AW joined the club he inherited possibly the best defence in history. A great position to be in. He went on to add Sol on a free. An inspired signing. But then it falls apart a bit. The likes of Senderos, Cygan, Stepenovs, Sylvestre, Grimandi to add to the likes of Squillaci and Koscielny and a pattern starts to emerge. Pluses would have to include the likes of Tommy V and Kolo but lets be honest, how many in the above list are really Arsenal class? Perhaps we need to recruit someone whose sole responsibility is to just buy defenders??????? is this a weakness in Le Prof?????
@ Lonestar 80
We would have just been fine if Squillaci had just,just nearly even, been good enough but it hurts to know & clearly see that he’s not, yet our slim EPL & Champions League hopes partly rest on his mediocre defending Squills…oh sorry…Skills.
Spy. My view has always been the same. As a club do we maximise our potential? Do we make the best of what we have? In recent years I have accepted that we may not have had the cash to spend due to financial constraints. Speculate to accumulate and all that. But we keep being told by the board that we have millions sat in the bank available. And I really feel we are that close. I also feel that if we had managed keep hold of certain players then we would be as good as champions. Add the likes of Kolo, Hleb, Flamini and Gallas to that squad and in my humble opinion we are improved immeasurably.
As I said, my frustration comes from the fact that I really believe we are not that far away from being something really great.
Thing is, if Wenger doesn’t buy overpriced on principle, then surely that principle should mean he should have sold Man C Ade and Toure for the considerably less he’d consider them worth in the market? Principles work all the way around, no?
If that’s not what it’s about, then if we’ve sold over the odds we can then afford to pay a bit over the odds, surely.
It would have been nice to see the lessons from Jan ’08 and Jan ’10 learnt this window. But I guess that would mean the manager seeing there were lessons to be learnt in the first place.
Steve T – I’d love for that person to be Keown or Adams.
I’m also sure AW doesn’t decide alone on his transfer targets especially not defenders.
Trev – That again points out my comment about their (Squillaci and Kos) partnership not being the best. On the other hand he has been quite OK with Djourou (and make no mistake about it, OK is what you’ll get from a 3rd CB, if he was more than OK he would be starting).
I find it funny that everyone has been bashing on about our defense when we conceded only one goal more than United in the league and are on a 4 game clean sheet streak (oh, and we don’t have Vidic and Ferdinand as CB’s).
Ooops, sorry about the multiple posts.
Snir. Keown would be ideal. I love Tony Adams but he is bonkers.
We have defended abysmally at times this season but I think you make a mistake that many on here make. That is that people are always comparing us with our rivals. We have conceded only one more is an example. My opinion is that that is totally the wrong way to look at it. Put bluntly I do not give a damn how many the Mancs let in. Or how many they score. Or anyone else for that matter. I am not bothered in the slightest. But if we had actually bought proper centre halves and a top keeper my view is that we would not have dropped half of the silly points that he have dropped this season. We would now be about 6 points clear and what the likes of the Mancs, Chavs, Citheh and the rest. Waht they all did would be totally irrelevant. None of us would even bother to look at their stats.
If I may, I strongly agree with Steve T’s last post. Cos, the truth is, it never helps to use other people’s achievements as a yardstick to measure success whether personally or as a club.
The proper thing is to judge our success by what we could have achieved based on our potential or should I ‘potential’ potential, if we had signed those sorely needed world-class player(s).
You’re half right.
Just because every team has those blunders. United can say the same with Everton putting 2 in stoppage time. Chelsea can say the same with not winning for a year or so, Man City can say the same with losing to Wolves etc’.
I think that even though the defending this season could be a lot better we’re still in it in the best time for us – The time where we’re improving in both areas of the pitch.
I agree that some of the defending this season has been amateur. I also think that it has not been all the CB’s fault but more of a team effort and that is why you see the improvement.
I do think that you can see a vast improvement over the last 2 months in both areas of the pitch and we’re yet to improve even more once we really play with the “handbrake off”.
Your request for width has been partially met with Walcott providing some width on the right.
Szczesny looks calm and collected and gives the defenders that confident feeling. Djourou is winning everything in the air and Koscielny is a great reader of the game.
It’s February and we’re getting better from August, it’s not all doom.
If we’re talking about Everton, we played at Goodison Park this season with Squillaci and Djourou and I didn’t feel threatened even once in that game and that is a tough stadium where both United and Chelsea dropped points.
Maybe he isn’t THAT useless after all?
Aaarggh…meant to say….”or should I say ”potential” potential”….
Just occurred to me now…I think the a club’s Success is judged not on the criterion of potential alone but on the fan’s expectations also.
Now that consideration right there raises a few interesting questions in my mind about we gooners, our expectations and a realistic assessement of the ”potential” of our current set of Gunners.
hey Snail,
What’s the site where you streamed online the match against Huddersfield, which was so stable ?!
I’ve always had shaky, much buffering links to watch Arsenal games online so far.
Tonights Everton match is not on TV, so I have to watch it online.
Would greatly appreciate if anyone can give me a good link to watch Arsenal v Everton.
Thanks in advance.
Liverpool appear top of the desperation league table, with Chelsea following closely on their heels.
I read all ur posts and i concluded that most Arsenal fans are not ok with les boss. Truthfully am not. what are we doing with the Toure and ADE money. Or what we should have gotten from the sale of bendtner, eboue, denilson, and not buying squilacci. I imagined Torres, van per sie and nasri in our attack. that will be a mixture of skills, pace, eficiency, height and name. I have asked why do we have average and inconsistent players in our team. how can we be looking at the future when we are not doing anything at the moment. wenger should wake up and realize the times have changed and besides, most players would want to come to arsenal becos they know they have a good chance to see action.
Honestly guys, Would you rather have Song as CB or Kyle Bartley?
Do you guys think that he would have been adequate cover for the CB position?
I rather that he has a good loan spell and make use of him next season. What practical purpose would it have served keeping him in the team and not giving him the chance to play?
Not too devastated by the lack of activity if Verminator gets fixed by March.
Makes no sense crying over spilled milk. Transfer window is closed now and there were no additions to the squad; let’s get on with it and efficiently utilize the resources we have. Last time I checked, we weren’t doing too badly so let’s see what has occurred at the end of the season and stop the moaning.
Morning all.
Lonestar, I’ve seen the Spy at Arsenal games, home and away, for the best part of forty years. In my book that entitles him to hold any view he likes.
Especially when he can express what he feels without being abusive or disrespectful to others here. That is all I ask of anyone. Shows the class of the fella.
Steve T … I don’t always agree with all of your views (do respect them though).. but I would like to replicate nearly every post you have made in the bar today.
Especially the one about Tony Adams being bonkers!
Too early for a Pedigree?
[…] anyone not so much. That’s not to say I wouldn’t have welcomed a defender but I think Goonerholic nailed it:Name me the players who moved, that we would have wanted to buy, at a price that we would have […]
Hi all,
I have to agree with Snir here. I believe, like Arsene, that we can do this without spending excessively.
Most fans are frustrated that we didn’t buy. We all can sense that, but we are still in it so the best we can do is hope TV gets back into the squad soon and more imminently, we continue on this run of form.
I feel injuries are key. Lady luck f*cking owes us one.
Cheers
Sorry for the discordant note but I for one am very happy with our team, the fact we’re the last team in contention for 4 trophies and the marvelous football we play more and more often.
As expected the season has been rocky so far and we look in a much better shape for the second half than we we started.
4-1 without Nasri is ambitious I feel but RvP has been Everton’s tormentor for a while now and Arshavin is on the redemption path.
Can’t wait for the game!
What about Wheater? Quite cheap, decent back up and who knows maybe a realistic long term option if he develops.
On that list of youngsters – I think its ridiculous you are writing off any of them bar a couple who’s careers at Arsenal are definitely finished already i.e. Barazite and Evina who both have permanent transfers and Randall who will be gone in the summer.
Im quite positive that Bartley, Ramsey, Afobe, and Bohtelo will get games in the coming seasons, possibly Coquelin and Lansbury as well.
There is absolutely no way we should be part of the madness that ensued yesterday. Its disgraceful and reeks of panic.
I’d quite like to ask Ancelotti if he had anything to do with Chelsea’s transfers yesterday, likewise King Kenny. Both seem like reasonable men with their heads screwed on.
Once again Comolli has proven he is a grade A idiot. Why o why didn’t Liverpool just hang on till the end of the season, and spend that money improving the team all over rather than blowing it in an overexcited, unsatisfying, premature burst of jizzum all in the space of 6 or 7 hours. Total lunacy.
Yes we may end up loosing out in the league, Torres may score 20 over the next 15 games, but in all honesty, if that’s what it takes to win the league then I am happy to not win it again. This isn’t a sport, its just a horrible symptom of a society that demands instant gratification and smug self satisfaction through the medium of disgusting excess, rather than through any sense of progress and enlightenment.
Pardon me – I’ve just read your comment about Wheater ‘holic. Teach me to read the whole thread before I open my big mouth. Good call though
Chelsea has reported a £70.9m loss in the year to June 2010 – despite winning the Premier League and FA Cup.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12330303
And they buy a half-fit player for £50m… Two more years left of this madness at most. Thank you Platini if only for that one move.
With all the fuss about central defenders over the last few weeks, how many spotted that Wenger SOLD (not loaned) a supposedly very promising centre-back in Havard Nordveit (age 20) at the very end of December 2010.
What to make of that then? Did Wenger believe he wasn’t up to snuff? Was there a necessity to clear out someone to make way for another new signing? Did the lad blot his copybook? Was the sale a good bit of business (according to his values given in Wikipedia profile, Arsenal made a profit of £300,000). Not brilliant money.
If Wenger let him go, then Squillaci was obviously a better defender. And noting the Sqill’s recent performances that doesn’t say much for Nordveit. Oh well.
@ Steve T (esp. #75),
Dr. C has beaten me to it. Would just like to say what a passionate and well argued piece of writing from a true supporter. I don’t agree on several points but that is irrelevant. Your love for Arsenal and your ability to express it shame many of us including me.
Barman? Whatever Steve T is drinking for the next week please and all on my tab.
@ Clive W #62,
Very true and very funny. The image of SAF chewing bones and venting bile made me chuckle. You’re right, he’ll be very upset at the injustice of not being able to splash the cash esp. looking at who did so if he’s p*ssed off then I’m happy. No doubt some poor, undeserving reserve at Manure will, be getting the full hairdryer treatment this morning.
@ Holic #71,
He’s not a f*ckin’ wheeler-dealer mate, he’s a very naughty boy ;-). LOL at The Twitchmeister and all the LWCs. BTW, their back 4 makes ours look like Fort Knox. Pien-arse was clearly not enough for them. Shame…
Morning Holics –
Matt – You could call that another £70.9m loss in the transfer market yesterday.
A crock striker and an unknown unproven centre back!
Ancelotti’s signings have all been suspect! In fact all of Chelsea’s inflated signings since the departure of Mourinho have all been suspicious!
There that’s my morning rant!
Aah! Think I’ll sip on a Cappuccino and think ahead to our visit from the Goodisons tonight! (11/2, 11/2…)
Thank you Barman!
@ (The Great) Gonzo #109
Well done mate, I think you answered your own question very well 😉
AW must have very strict criteria for who does and does not make it through the ranks to first team football. I’m convinced that ability and techncial brilliance are only part of the equation. I also believe that is what is holding up JET’s progress right now and possibly Lansbury’s too.
Like most here, I would have been delighted by a shrewd signing or two to bolster our squad. AW has put his cock on the block yet again so we can judge what he’s done at the end of May. His GK gamble has more or less paid-off with the exception of the WBA home defeat so let’s see if the not buying stance proves to be the right one at the end of the season.
Join me in a morning coffee?
The CD comments are becoming unreal.
We play by far the most attacking football in the league and we’ve let in only 3 goals more than the best defense after 23 games.
Arsenal: 22
Indebted: 21 (with Vidic, supposedly the 8th marvel of defensive football).
Citeh: 20 (playing each game with 2 or 3 DMs)
Chelski: 19
Squillacci is a 4th choice CB. Which other team has a 4th choice CB that would be such a huge improvement? That’s right. None.
We need squad players, every team does. Now world beaters, just squad players. Why is it so hard to understand for some?
@ Matt #113
Well said mate. See above. The press darlings and wonders of the EPL, make our back 4/5 look very solid. The grand tax evader himself went on record saying that Billy G could be his captain and he’s an Arsenal cast-off so enough said.
When Kos and DJ play together they generally look very sound and certainly full of potential. Sagna (esp.) and Clichy are top-notch. Wojciech will be an Arsenal legend in years to come and possibly Kos too.
@Goonertown: good catch, forgot the brazilian CB.
Not sure the players are bad additions to their team, at least they’re not past their prime and Chelski’s medical staff are the best in the league so perhaps they can straighten Torres for a while.
Chelski fans better enjoy the last ride with the oligarch’s shady loot before the UEFA financial rules put them back where they belong.
Matt – What are you drinking mate?
Over the weekend someone said we need world class players in our squad! I nearly pi@ed myself with laughter!
When I told him we already have that in our squad, I nearly fell off my seat at the expression on his face when he ran through the list of names in his head and couldn’t continue to speak!
Drinks all round!
i’m still not convinced by Koscielny, his positional play and my spelling, both dubious..
@TS: I’ll have a quick night cap to complement your morning coffee.
Short night and great game ahead!
@ 113 Mark
It’s not so much getting a better 4th choice central defender, why not get a new 1st/2nd choice defender and allow Koscielny, Sqill, etc to drop down the rankings? I know it won’t happen, because Wenger’s not defensive minded.
I read that several posts have (correctly?) called that there is no world class defender available, let alone one that AW would spend money on.
However, I’ve thought for a long time, and highlighted by Martin Keown’s involvement in the run to the Champion’s League Final against Barca, that it is more about coaching what we have than buying. Senderos was meant to be the new Tony Adams, and would have been, if Arsenal had a top defensive coach. Ditto several others.
@ 86 Steve T
Good point about Wenger’s purchase of defenders. Pretty poor show, really. Underlines that defense isn’t his strong point and he ought to bring in a coach/scout that know the defensive side of the game.
PS Forgot to order a strong coffee. Half a sugar with that please , Barman.
Matt – Thanks mate
I know the potential of Torres yes indeed!
I am just refusing to believe in any progress made by Chelski.
I don’t underestimate them mind, but I tell it like it is, as it stands!
If we could beat them last month we can beat them any month, regardless of who they have in their squad!
Come one come all brother!
Matt –
TS beat me to it. Have one on me for later if it’s all the same with you!
..Besides we beat Liverpool with Torres all day long!
I’ll finish my Cappacino for now lads, don’t all offer at once!
Lol!
@ matt p #117,
No mate, both are good 😉
Gt,
poor thing, have a top-up on me mate! 😉
Thank you TS – I don’t mind if I do
Lol!
torres signing for chavs could perversly be the best bit of transfer business for us in years.. they’ve still got to play man u twice, & if his goals cause utd to drop 4/6 pts that would
a) give us an outstanding chance of winning the title, and
b) protect the invincibles record
plus, he has shown he is highly likely to piss off to Real or Barca in a couple of years anyway when the next big money move comes around, so will be of no long term benefit to them anyway.
the knock on effect of the geordies crying into their newcy brown all week might also give us a better chance of 3 pts this weekend aswell
theo & rvp 2-0 tonight
Gonzo,
a whole league campaign unbeaten. Shows what a bad defensive manager Arsene is.
Look around the PL and the current state of football in general fellow Gooners and be grateful for what you have.
A cup of tea for me, please.
Good stuff, ‘holic.
Snir, why are you ranting on about 4 yellow cards?
The rule only applies until 31st december.
Now it’s 10 cautions ( but 2 games suspension if you get them)
—————————————————-
(i) If a player accumulates five cautions in any Competition, but receives the 5th
caution between the opening day of the Playing Season and the 31st December
in the same Season, he will be suspended automatically for a period covering One
match plus a fine of £15.
(ii) If a player accumulates five cautions in any Competition between the opening day
of the Playing Season and the last day of the same Season, he will be Warned as to
his Future Conduct.
(iii) A player who has already been subject to disciplinary action as a result of five
cautions and then goes on to receive a further five cautions during the same
Season, will be subject to the following punishments: –
(iv) If a player accumulates ten cautions in any Competition between the opening day
of the Playing Season and the second Sunday of April in the same Season, he will
be suspended automatically for a period covering Two matches plus a fine of £15.
————————————————————————-
I have to laugh at the £15 fine. Although I guess it’s because it applies to any level of the game……..
Anyway, barman, drink of his choice for Snir and just an orange juice for me please.
Just a note on Torres to Chelsea…
It shall be interesting to see where he plays in their front 3.
Drogba is the obvious ‘middle-man’ – so where does that leave young Fernando??
Morning all. A tad early for a scoop but I will enjoy raising a glass to toast a victory later this evening.
Read all of the posts with Interest. Perhaps one way of putting it is like this. I remember many years ago purchasing the Arsenal end of season video. It had come out just as we had bought David Seaman. Many of us will remember raising more than an eyebrow at the decision to bring Seaman in. Especially at the expense of the reliable and ever popular John Lukic. George Graham gave an interview for the video. In it he sort to explain the decision. His words were effectively these……
” l rate John Lukic very highly. In my opinion I think he is one of the top 5 keepers in Europe. I just happen to think that David Seaman is the best.”
That basically sums up the points I have tried to make.
pH, you can check out myp2p.eu or atdhe.net for streams. I usually find a working one everytime in myp2p.
Cheers
TS –
I’m surprised you’ve even recovered yet after going hard in the bar last night!
Welcome back!
Matt P –
Totally agree!
Also the only thing to stand between us and back to back wins v Newcastle was A. Carroll!
So I guess we can play for 6 points over the next 6 days, aye?
Ollie – You’ve made my day with that great bit of factual news regarding the Yellow cards!
Away we go!
The window is shut we go with what we have so let’s get behind them all. We are in with decent shout in all 4 competitions and the squad we have put us in the position we are in, so I think a bit more credit where credit is due wouldn’t go amiss.
Spy; I used to buy the gooner every issue from the 1st one until couple of seasons ago and then like most of my mates I stopped buying it because it turned into one long anti arsene rant, I didn’t want to read such depressing one track guff, your posts, (and of course your entilted to your opinion) make me glad I stopped wasting my money. Hopefully all at the game tonight will be getting behind the team tonight and not booing as some prat behind me did when denilson came on as sub recently or applauding an opposition goal as a moron near me did against Huddersfield. I also got told by one idiot at half time that he blamed wenger for all this, when I asked him if he was blaming him for being 1 up at ht or being in beer cup final, last 16 of cl or 2nd in the league he was kind of lost for words which was a blessing, spy if these people are the majority of the 10,000 you talk about not turning up then good, I would rather the empty seats than their miserable moaning arses sat in them.
I don’t mind if we spend none money in the transfer window, I don’t mind if we have none money to spend because we are building cash reserves to cover the mortgage, but I just wish they would be honest about it. Instead we get sort of non-statements that suggest we could sort of, maybe, possibly could spend but there is no-one maybe specifically to spend it on.
Should be a good game tonight, our starting 11’s results over their last 7 games is W 6 D 1, For 18, Ag 2. Everton’s record I think is W 2, D 4, L 1, For 10 Ag 10. I am going for 2 – 0 which may help people decide where to put their money as I have got every single game wrong so far this season.
Holic ’til the end.
Morning Holic,
I slept well last night after a great evening in my favourite Water Hole!
Mahammadou Diarra
Has just signed for Monaco in this transfer window, if that’s what you mean, bdon.
Glennw –
Thankfully the majority of supporters think like you!
Whatever you’re drinking I’m doing the rounds early!
In other news, I have just booked my train for Wolves.
I do fear for my ‘Carte Blanche’ status at the end of the year though, with Eurostar’s new points system coming into force soon.
Talk of ripping off the punter….
Ollie
As we’re off-track now (groan), the subject of the increase in rail travel was the cause of much political debate in The UK yeserday. Apparently, we’re back to record levels of it but the service is surprise, surprise not improving and the call for increased investment by the rail companies is growing.
Without wishing to de-rail your train of thought (double groan) could we apply the same model (train) to football spending and football perfomance perhaps…?
Goonertown,
cheers pint of the back stuff would be great, sadly my post turned into bit of a rant, as far as I can see we are going pretty good at mo and we should be enjoying it, if it goes pear shaped later then moan, until then get behind them, drink, sing and be happy
I just had a chat to the other half and I now feel a little more optimistic about tonight’s match!
With all of the activity yesterday and the awareness Na na na is out, plus the added benefit of resting almost the starting XI on Sunday, we’ll need to show tonight why we did not spend/waste I mean spend last night!
I’m now upping my optimism stake to a 3-0 the the Ar-se-nal v a Peinaarless Evertone!
Who knows the optimism stake may increase as the day progresses. I’ll just go and spy on the opposition and see what they’re saying about tonight!
Up the Ar-se-nal!
So, Everton then. Am I off my rocker going for 4-1?
Glennw –
Right on Glennie!
I feel a song coming on!
TS
please not to much train talk, I drive them for a living, though never when The Arsenal are playing at home
Hi guys,
Excellent writing as usual holic and quite right who could we have bought? To all those ranting for Arsene to spend you need to look into the future and our club as it’s run will always have a future, the others who spend money they don’t really have but rely on Sugar Daddy what fiture do they have when the owner gest bored.
I for one am proud of the way we operate and when we win a trophy and believe me it won’t be long we can hold our head high and say we WON that trophy we didn’t BUY that trophy.
With some of the money these teams spend any one of us could manage them and get in the top 6.
Anyway 3 points tonight a must come on you reds
Holic,
with you on 4-1 but also doing 3-1 as we seem to like calling it a day at 3 at the moment, of course any win of any score would be just fine, drinks of your choice all round please, I’ll pay out of the winnings if that’s ok. How’s that for confidence!
4-1 is very optimistic!
A glance at Everton’s last 6 away games reads –
Win 1
Draw 4
Loss 1
Draws at Anfield, Chelsea, Sunderland and West Ham. A win at Citeh and loss to Stoke.
A win… any win will do…
What do you reckon holics? Will Arshavin find his scoring touch today? 🙂
Will he start?
151 @ Harsha
That’s if he plays!
AW might start with NB52 given the vertical challenges our opponents might pose.
Just read in the Telegraph that the highest transfer in Europe this January outside the Premier league was £12m. Seems like ‘austerity’ isnt in the Premier league dictionary.
I dont think Arshavin should start, he covered a lot of ground Sunday, but Rosciskys not fully fit, and Bendtner played Sunday too. I have no idea who to play.
Holic –
Okay been doing a bit of snooping on the Everton news sites and the position is that we are the favourites all day!
The extent of the result or the victory for me will be decided in house.
With Na na na we would walk this at least 3-0 and seeing we have a 2011 clean sheet (Shezzer being tru to his word, see: his twitter page approx three months ago), 4-1 is easily an option not to be sniffed at.
In addition to that although Everton have started scoring goals by pairing up Beckford and Saha (yawn), they have also been leaking at the back. And you know us, we like a good old attacking kick about down at the grove. So as the goals go in it will be a matter of resilience, durability and clean sheet records to keep hold of.
My gut feeling hinges upon the performance of Na na na’s stand in, Rosicky or Arsh?
Hmmm?
Careful lads let’s stay on track here!
Regardless of who stands in, the important factor is that the rest of the squad is at full strength, (it felt good saying that) and hopefully it will remain that way as long as the GPS’s allow!
We should also not overlook the fact that Nasri’s countryman Diaby is back and he can do what Nasri does in terms of possession and link up play (no coincidence there), so in conclusion I guess I’m saying, that plugging the gap shouldn’t be an issue tonight.
So anything from 2-1 upwards, an improvement from our last meeting should be do-able Holic!
At the end of the day someone needs to be optimistic around here and if that has to be you then I’m backing you all the way! I’m sure I’ve got a spare pound lying around somewhere.
All the brothers & sisters going to the game tonight, please, please, please don’t forget about the 12th man and lets hope we get a decent ref too!
Up the Arsenalage!
‘Holic,
4-1 isn’t an impossible result.. I’m more worried about the atmosphere at the Emirates. Hope the ‘Grove rocks tonight…
I have a feeling we might see Chamakh start instead of Big Nic\AA\TR7. The latter 3 played the entire game on Sunday and I think Arsene wouldn’t want to risk one of them given what happened to Nasri.. Chamakh was taken off at half-time. So I’m going for a front 3 of RvP-Chamakh-Theo..
IndianGooner, Your front three including Chamakh sounds like a good call to me, but a strong response is absolutely imperative tonight to show our intentions for the rest of the season, so come on you RRRS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad to see a few people are starting to focus on the immediate task at hand. Can you sniff a toffee meltdown?
nasri,
Are you trying to tempt BTM into a pre-match sweet-tacular packed with more sugary puns than there are calories in a sticky pudding? 😉
Nasri – Anyone for a Toffee Apple?
‘Holic,
I’m sticking (sorry) to my buns (er…) at 3-1. Everton to open the scoring and the Mighty Arse to punish them for their audacity.
First XI to start with Arshavin in for Nasri – no other changes, this match is too important. Would love our meerkat to open our account tonight.
Will be raising a glass to departed fathers in memory of the ‘Holicdad and others.
TS, There’s nobody more capable to finish the sweet-tacular than BtM, that’s for sure, but we’ve made a decent start I’d say …
Here here
I would n’t tolerate reading the Gooner any longer because of the misery
TS If as you say Arsene picks AA to deputise, surely the meerkat will be up for pilfering, unwrapping and devouring some freshly baked treats as he nearly did the other night?
….Yup, packed full of nougats of supporters’ banter and with good (chocolate) raisin. Those cad-bury’s from Merseyside better be on their toes tonight. Mars and I plan to meet in The Tolli post-match and toast the sweet taste of victory-v 🙂
nasri,
Andrei is well overdue a goal or two. Would be delightful if we could get to see him kick the simian into touch tonight.
Will Everton prove a tough nut to crack?
I love the optimism buildinh in up in here, I don’t mind stretching my pound!
Didn’t realise Gareth Bale had gone to Everton, TS. Yesterday must have been really mad.
Ollie
Was going to end that post with “… and I don’t mean Bile either.” Hey ho, a spotters badge and a drink for you 🙂
PS: Galen’s in the LWC’s sick wing at the moment isn’t he?
Cheers TS. And yes he is indeed.
Okay I know this is slightly off topic but those mucky sons of biyotches Man Citeh managed to get their overpriced hands on Gai Assulin!
Anyone whose interested youtube this kid. He’s magic!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gai_Assulin
On to more promising news:
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/ryo-miyaichi-completes-move-to-arsenal
Enjoy!
“I believe that children are the future, teach them well and let them lead the way…”
Torres to Chelsea – anyone playing like sh*t in a sh*tty setup for that long is going to permanently diminish their talent, Torres is a spent force IMHO. Chelsea the jokes on you…
And liverpool… you clearly missed the day they taught basic negotiating principles. You dont go out shopping for players when Everybody knows you have 50m burning a hole in your pocket. Seriously, 35m for Carroll… you f*ing idiots
£35 million plus a further £8 million a year in wages buys a lot of youth development.
To your initial point, ‘Holic, Carroll and Suarez for Torres cost Liverpool a net £7.7 million in transfer fees plus, guessing wildly, £6 million a year for wages. We’ll have to wait to see if that proves to be good business.
One answer to your Chelski question is that Abramovich lends the club the money and then turns the debt into equity. There is no dilution as he already owns the place. He is just £75 million out of pocket, chump change to a billionaire.
A long, cold drink of water, if you would ‘Holic, to maintain a cool head in all this madness.
Gt,
I think we got the better deal with Miyaichi san. I understand we scouted Assulin too.
GT – Assulin is too much hype, especially here in Israel cause the media is all hyping up Barca and to have an Israeli kid in Barca is madness for them. He played for the national team and didn’t do crazy things, a nice player, not magic.
Ollie – I went to premierleague.com and had a look and I would never have guessed that it wouldn’t even be updated. Scratch my rant about those yellow cards.
Matt – I think it’s better if I don’t comment here anymore, you say whatever I have to say anyway :), treat yourself to a drink of your choice along with Ollie and Goonertown 🙂
@ NBN #174
Good points. If Abramovich decides to walk away from Chelski then I believe he gives the club something like 13 months to re-pay his loans to the “holding company”. Should that ever happen, it’ll be sticky, brown trousers time while they court another sugar daddy.
Xavi is at it again about Fab4….when will these guys stop????
Dave –
Chelsea funded the whole sordid episode bless their cotton socks!
Snir and TS – I like what I’ve seen of Assulin on youtube (obviously his best bits), but he is a young Messi who just needs to be poilished up!
Ryo is of a similar nature, good attacking and dribbling prowess with lots of potential for developent! In that respect we did not miss out. However GA is too good for MC!
I’m not going to compare players as Ryo is an Arsenal player and Assulin is not!
Snir – Messi has not produced much for Argentina over the years but he is still a magical player. I choose my words wisely, based upon what I’ve seen!
A berry Smoothie please Snir kind sir!
Ugandan Gooner –
For now Xavi can close his mouth with the transfer window!
@ Goonertown…..They did the same thing last season in the run up to that game against them…i think they do it to deliberately destruct our captain and players…i hope it serves to motivate our players to shut these guys up once and for all….
UG –
I agree 100%
Barman – whatever Ugandan Gooner wants please kind sir!
Goonertown – Assulin is too good for MC cause he’s an ATTACKING player ;).
We know after their trip to the Grove that that’s not their thing lol :).
UG – I’m sure the Barca management tells them to do so. I’m sure that his recovery time in Spain with Pique, Puyol and those other guys did a whole lot in making him ask for a transfer.
Barca are scum, but we already knew that.
@ Goonertown thanx for the drink @Snir i get the same impression too… but this time round injuries aside they will get what they deserve and learn to have some respect!!!
“Name me the players who moved, that we would have wanted to buy, at a price that we would have wanted to pay, and who would have wanted to come to us? You can’t, can you?”
Would you have settled for the future CB for Spain, dear Holic? Ruiz, 22 year old moved to Napoli for €6 million – say £5m. Where were you Arsene? In the counting house? Or still in your dreams about how you did it, alone.
As to the need. Was every other Arsenalholic hiding behind the sofa, like me every time Huddersfield took a free-kick, or a corner? Come on, tell the truth. And was any one of us the teeniest, wee bit surprised when a little Huddersfield chappie called Lee headed in a rocket from aforesaid corner? No.
And we’ve got a few weeks of super-vital games to play. With our team -according to an authority – to wit and to woo, one AW – ‘fighting on four fronts’, with “some heavy legs”, and in a state ‘I don’t like, when the muscle injuries kick in’, which ‘hopefully’, says Arsene he might not get more of. Well, he might not, or he might. All this awareness of danger at a time when he was free to add the strength needed.
Arsene, careful with money, but a gambler with our team.
I find myself agreeing with many of the points Steve T has made, I would hate to just miss out on a major prize this season due to a lack of investment in a few key areas, we all know were they are.
‘Holic, I like your 4 point criteria, but it’s not our jobs as supporters to find which players we need, I do believe we have a large scouting team for just that purpose. Surely there must of been someone somewhere who could of helped our cause?
Anyways, it is our job as supporters to get behind the team we have now and come kick off I’ll be doing just that albeit from across the sea in front of the TV in my bar.
A drink for the lads and your good self, make mine a lager.
Cheers.
On a lighter note have you all realised that Liverpool now have Andy and Lou as their strikeforce?
http://www.littlebritainfans.com/images/Character2.jpg
I just read in an Evening Standard article that Denilson played through his injury, despite the risk of it worsening. If that’s true, regardless of his form, he is beyond reproach in my book and we should do all we can to encourage that attitude. I would love it if that got a good mention in the press and that it gets back to the players. Can it be worked into a song..?
Pint of ale please, and a whiskey chaser. Here’s to 4-1, I’ve learned the hard way not to go against these tips…
Great post Holic as usual. You mentioned who could we have signed yesterday? Michael Bradley is one, he would have been an ideal back up to Song in fact I was hoping Arsene would sign him 2 years ago before he went to Germany. So now hes at Villa and I think he will do well in the premiership, hopefully he plays today and they beat the red scum! Its 3-1 to the Arse today with Robin getting 2 ….fingers crossed a very important 3 points at stake today! I’ll have a couple of Stellas please.
Mog,
In my book too..
For others, here is the link: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23919398-denilson-knows-importance-of-fulfilling-his-support-role.do
Barman please whatever Snir is drinking. Thank you!
Hi I’ve found a set of quick match facts v Everton for all the Pound barers out there!
Enjoy!
MATCH FACTS
Arsenal have scored more goals (77) against Everton than any team versus any opponent in Premier League history.
The Gunners have only kept one clean sheet in their last 10 Premier League matches against Everton.
The Toffees have lost 12 and won none of their last 14 Premier League away matches against Arsenal.
Arsenal have scored in the 48th minute in three of the last five matches against Everton, Cesc Fabregas doing so twice in the last three meetings.
Robin van Persie has scored four goals in six Premier League appearances against Everton.
The Dutchman has scored six goals in his last four Premier League appearances.
There have been eight goals scored in the 89th minute or later in the last eight Premier League games between Arsenal and Everton.
Tim Cahill has scored four goals in eight Premier League games against the Gunners.
Arsenal have dropped just five points from a possible 39 against the teams in the bottom half of the table this season.
Everton have drawn more games than any other team in the Premier League (12)
50% of the goals Arsenal have conceded have come from set pieces, the highest proportion the top flight.
Not sure sure about Assulin if only because Barca let him leave. These days every other youngster is either the next Messi or the next Zidane.
But for the transfer-deprived gooners there is light at the end of the season. You may or not be excited by the fact that Oxlade-Chamberlain is almost certain to join us in the summer, after all he’s for the future being only 17: http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2011/01/31/2331497/arsenal-beat-manchester-city-to-secure-10m-deal-for
But the real excitement comes from Eden Hazard who just turned 20 and is the man behind Lille’s standing at the top of the french league. He’s said many times he wants to play for Arsenal and Arsene confirmed his interest. I know youtube videos could make `Holic look like the next Zidane too but still, have a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJYgyLPsKzo
Can’t think of a hotter young player in Europe right now.
Matt –
My opinion on Assulin being the next Messi is my own based on what I saw in the video clips.
I also have questioned why Barca let him go. My guess is that it has nothing to with his ability. It has been suggested his contract was terminated through mutual consent
I know about Hazard and Lilles dominance in Ligue 1 and Hazard is top of the range!
Aah –
Rosicky for Nasri – I’ll take that!
Just been announced Everton have not beaten us @ our place in 15 years!
I’ve seen videos too but he’s been pimped by his agent to every big club in Europe and there didn’t seem to be too much interest except in the tabloids. Not saying he’s not the real deal but it doesn’t look at all like he slipped through our fingers. Time will tell, he’s barely 20.
Take that 12-Man Everton…
Do bog off Moyes.
Phew! Not vintage once again but points in the bag.
Phew,
That’s a big big 3 points especially with all the negativity out there due to the last few days,
Steve T,
Remember it well gad a nice little demo after one of the games come out the clock end and made our way to the the East stand to show our digust at buying that wanker from QPR when we had Jonny Lukic Jonny Jonny lukic, How silly we looked 10 years later lol
Hoping Songs injury isn’t to long as that’s the one major area of concern for me- We have no one else that can do the job as well as him !!
Well done to the lads from recovering from a poor start compounded by another poor ref decision. I’d like to interpret it as another proof we’re maturing as a team.
Well happy although I would have loved it if NB52’s acrobatic overhead kick had been rewarded.