Case For The Defence Proven, But Jury Out On The Attack
Aug 26th, 2012 by 'holic
Home and television to myself, I settled down for an afternoon of what I was sure would involve screaming abuse at all and sundry in the Britannia Stadium. Ninety minutes later I was surprised to find the blood pressure under control, and voice intact. Rarely have we controlled the home side as effectively as we did today, and the only obvious frustration was our inability to find a winning goal, as against Sunderland on the opening day.
Two changes from the first game saw Vito Mannone come in between the sticks for the injured Szczesny and Fabianski, and Olivier Giroud replace Walcott up front. A word about the former. He may have had a quieter afternoon than anticipated, but what he did have to do he carried out with confidence and authority. A lesson to myself and others not thrilled to see him playing before the match. Apologies son.
The selection of Giroud suggested that Lukas Podolski would switch to the left wing and Gervinho to the right. In fact the trio were far more fluid than that. Often Podolski found himself in the centre, leaving space for Kieran Gibbs to exploit down the flank. Giroud was not afraid to lend support down the right hand side and Gervinho went from side to side in an effort to get some end result from his determination to attack the areas in behind the defence. Unfortunately it wasn’t his day.
In behind the midfield is taking on an interesting shape. Mikel Arteta is clearly the most disciplined, and presumably playing as the holding player under instruction. Santi Cazorla is at the attacking tip of the engine room, flitting here and there, passing, moving, passing, moving. Between them Abou Diaby is working a shuttle service, attempting to support both in their primary function. He did not appear as comfortable in the role as he was against Sunderland, but he withstood a couple of hefty challenges, and never let his head drop.
Further back it is hard to believe this is the same defence we saw last season. For sure they have got better protection from albeit limited opponents in these first two outings, and sterner tests await, but there was a clear degree of organisation and support for each other in evidence today. Effectively they suffered but one nervous moment when Walters got in behind them to slot home, but the line was good and the offside flag rightly cut short muted celebrations.
Once again for all of the possession we were not carving out enough clear cut opportunities either. Podolski seemed likeliest to break the deadlock, and his direct running at the heart of the defence brought about a yellow card for the cumbersome Huth. He also had the best chance to score but saw his fierce drive blocked at point-blank range by Wilkinson. A penalty, suggested the commentators only after viewing the replay, but if that had been given at the other end I would have been giving Mr Mason some serious grief.
The second-half saw more of the same. Stoke, content to waste as much time as possible to secure the point that was the limit of their ambition, claimed a penalty when Pennant tumbled theatrically having got the wrong side of Gibbs. Again the referee got it right. We suffered the old problem of over-elaboration in the final third. To be fair we have a new trio bedding in and getting to know each other. Those who recall how long it took the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry to find their shooting boots will not be going overboard quite yet.
The issue was nearly put to bed when Giroud attempted an audacious lobbed drive from forty yards, having presumably spotted Begovic off his line, and his effort was sadly a foot over rather than under the crossbar. Depending on movements in and out of the club in this last week of the transfer window I would expect the Frenchman to be retained at Anfield. He has earned another chance, as has Podolski. It may well be that both only need that first goal to turn on the supply line. Let’s hope so.
This is a big week coming up for Arsenal. It is clear there are a few players still to be moved on. We all know who they are, and so do they. It is not only departures that supporters are expecting though. We now have a better idea of where we are potentially exposed. We are an injury to Carl Jenkinson away from being without a right-back, and the Andre Santos situation suggests we are short of full-back cover. Who is the alternative to Mikel Arteta in the holding role? Relying on youngsters in this area is unnecessary given there is quite clearly at least the Queensland Road cash still in the kitty after this summer of profitable dealing. If those are the two priority areas to address we might also look at loan options to supplement the central strikeforce, and an experienced back-up goalkeeper? (The latter isn’t going to happen, is it?).
So, four in, and four out. Simple, this management game isn’t it Arsene? Well it certainly is on a computer keyboard…
Have a great week, ‘holics.
377 Responses to “Case For The Defence Proven, But Jury Out On The Attack”
Breaks off from arguments with Ned and Dapper DanC for a cheeky punt at No 1.
Spot on holic. Should the subs (especially the Ox) be used earlier? Glad I’m not a manager.
Get in. I thought we were solid. But lack a genuine striker.
WEll in Oxon!
Good piece, ‘holic. Shame you had to spoil it by mentioning the I word in the last sentence. You’re letting the facts get in the way of a good blog.
My hard disk recorder decided to play silly buggers last weekend so I haven’t yet seen Plodi, OllieG or Santi in the red and white. I can’t get my head around looking forward to Match of the Day (2) but there you go.
I can’t see four in and four out happening. I just don’t think that there will be four players available who would improve the squad and I doubt that we’ll find willing buyers for four items of dead wood. It would be great if it happened, though.
COYG ICDDR
I have read what the boss says and as much as I agree with his analysis, I also feel that this team is quite short on pre-season training due to the Nigerian tour being canceled.
So with that in mind, the team have a couple more games to get organised to an extent.
Otherwise I agree with the boss and G Neville in the sense that the physical presence we had on the pitch dealt well with the Munsters. So if you add that to a draw and the fact we’re a point behind the leagues most consistent club, we have a lot to build upon.
So lets keep the faith going Gooners
Drinks all round
Well in Don! If you snooze you lose out to the Ox!
5th!
I would expect the Frenchman to be retained at Anfield after the pointless friendly international break
Er, what? The international break is after the ‘pool game no, isn’t it?
I thought it was qualifiers rather than friendlies too.
7th?! Not even Europa League! Better try and get in via FairPlay!
There’s still Champions League/Europa League qualifiers this midweek.
A Fetid Mordor Belch Welcomes The Return of The King
Arsenal journeyed north toward the dark, smoke laden skies over the dying land that is not yet dead. Mordor-on-Trent strikes a feeling of loathing into the stoutest hearts, a sinking sense of disgust for the Trolls, Orcs and Ringwraiths who dwelleth there.
Sauron VilePulis of the Black Speech, black heart and stoopid coarse grey canvas baseball codpiece, invokes shattered legs and torn flesh on all who dare bring some skill, light and bright flashes to enlighten the gloom of the pottery dust laden black lands.
And it was into a seething cauldron of spew that the magical Spanish hobbit Frodo Cazorla was cast, by the great White Wizard Wenger, with his two young friends Samwise Gangee of Chamberlain and Theo Peregrine Took. Past the Towers of Teeth, through the Black Gates they went, into the land of shadows, the stinking web of Shelob Shawcross and the swinging Hoof of Grima German WormTongue.
And they feared the brimstones thrown by the StandOrcs, the sulphurous belches spewed by the Terracing Trolls and VilePulis’ vindictive vile poured into the balded ear of the Webb.
But this journey from the Shire was not like many that had gone before. Arsenal had Treebeard the German Ent in the heart of the battle and with the Verminator, Jenkinson the Jiant and Gibbs the Great, Arsenal’s defense made the Orcs look like Dorks, without really having to try hard.
It was 70% Arsenal throughout. Arsenal had a team commitment to winning the ball, defending back and playing for each other that was great to see. Santi Cazorla was the stand-out and it’s very easy to see why he was anointed as Cesc’s successor a full season before his appointment.
Arsenal were solid at the back, excellent in the middle third, created enough chances to win by three but still need to make it happen in the final third. With three players new to the team, to the league and to Mordor, it should surprise no one that that will take a couple more games to happen.
After a lifetime out, Diaby will take time to show to the full all of the talent he possesses. Abou made a good start today and looked like a new player ☺ (as will Jack, Frimpong, Sagna and Rosicky when they re-enter the pool).
All three of the new players looked liked superb buys and made it easy to forget those who have fallen into darkness while Oli G, Poldi and Santi have entered the light. As Steve T will, no doubt mention, we need to use width more effectively and Gerv the Swerve needs to achieve greater purpose.
Mordor’s Orodrium volcano erupted only once. This when the vile inhabitants awoke from the numbness induced by their field army’s ineptness to belch their vomit in the direction of one more gifted than their entire eleven. The Return of The King, Aragon Aaron Ramsey, who had had the temerity to recover from the leg-smashing dolled out on an earlier sojourn, was the cause of the bile.
“Sad” is the not the only word that comes to mind for these people from the land of the dark shadows, but is the only one I can trust myself with here.
So, we’re one point ahead of this stage last season, we’re three red cards and two clean sheets to the better too. And Arsene will likely buy more quality this week. COYG. It’s great to be a Gooner.
Glad to see I’m not the only sad act who presses reload on the old post far too often on the evening of match days. Several drinks here timestamped before the chevrons on the last blog. You know who you are 😀
COYG ICDDR
Nice piece ‘holic!
The Jury awaits till the 6th game before divulging its judgement on the attack! The evidence thus far s purely circumstantial!
BtM@11. Nice idea, needs work though, only 60%
COYG ICDDR
@ 11 BtM
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Brilliant!
You said “Gerv the Swerve” – yay! I was hoping it would catch on.
ps
I am obviously a lot easier to please than Oxon Gooner.
Fun@16 🙂
BtM @11,
Heh! X2 😀
Good opening post, i thought it was good today to see all the players working hard to get the ball and yes we do need the goals but they will come soon when the new boy’s have played together a few more times and the defence really did look much better. I feel a good season ahead.
Holic, “The Andre Santos situation” Que. Mr Fawlty?
Are you referring to his Jackie Stewart antics?
Swift editing as always 😉
Exactly that BtM, and the possibility of incarceration, however slight.
Nice work again maestro, good to have you back.
Ollie, having been away last week I am a week out now on the international calendar. That or alzheimers, take your pick 😉
Also two clean sheets in a row are a good sign from a defensive point of view.
Better than a six goal deficit
That’s an assault on the Bordeaux player there.
heh, ‘holic, you golfing star. I’ll blame it on the jetlag, you’re fine! 😉
Frodo Cazorla was certainly good today but Meriadoc BrandyBuck Arteta excelled! The Spanish Fellows’-ship is strengthening pyelr battle and the one ring to bind them all will soon be back in their midst for the bigger battles in Middle Earth!
Sakho has a harder elbow than Diabate has an eye socket, it would appear.
A double BrandyBuck all round Barkeep of the shire!
Shocking challenge!!!
Excellent post ‘holic.
I, for one, am hoping for a busy four days followed by a relaxed Friday with no need to hit refresh continuously or watch an insane Sky Sports News reporter get excited about Exeter signing a Latvian right back on loan.
Getting the ins and outs done nice and early this week would be great I seem to have spent the last couple of years anxiously watching up to the deadline wishing for an influx of quality or decent depth.
As ‘holic rightly pointed out we can see where reinforcements are required we can only hope that the boss has got a couple of deals bubbling nicely which just need that final stir before serving.
I’m not sure we’ll get the four in but could get the four outs if we use the loan route.
In terms of the game today I was really impressed with our organisation and defensive performance. Jenkinson did well and so far has meant we haven’t missed Sagna as much as I had feared. The BFG has shown he’s settled and why he has those international caps and Mannone covered everything he had to when called upon.
I can see Koscielny coming back in for the Liverpool game due to his greater mobility though.
I liked Arteta in the deep lying role – he showed good concentration and got stuck in where necessary. Again I’m not sure about him having that role against the top teams but if we sign no more midfielders he’ll do.
Enough has been discussed about the attackers but here’s my tuppence worth – I liked the tenacity shown by both Podolski and Giroud both in attack and defence and can see how the left and central attack will work. My concern lies on the right side with Theo’s lack of swervy skill and Gervinho’s lack of end product.
Here’s hoping for a whole heap of happy Gooners smiling about new signings come Friday!
Great blog ‘holic. I can’t believe the amount of people on twitter getting annoyed about the lack of goals The Arsenal have scored. New players will take time to ‘bed in’, the lack of proper preseason to be the blame for that I believe. Give them time and the new boys will come good, we all know about the time it took for Bergkamp and Henry to get off the mark, patience is a virtue. Keep up the great work.
Gets worse guv’nor. Gratuitous use of the ‘I’ word. Must be some kind of offence there.
COYG ICDDR
Just a small sidenote regarding our away kits – so glad they opted for the white numbers/names instead of the red ones in the end 😛
Cheers, ‘holic.
Cheers Boz 😉
Oxon, gratuitous indeed 🙁
The team looked pretty solid again, especially at the back. Plus this was a ground where we have struggled defensively. The front 6 will gel and that man giroud will do the business – he’s a bit unlucky not to have a goal of the months/ season contender. We do need some additional dealings, as holic said “4 in and 4 out”. We need cover in defence, holding midfield and a spare striker.
Gervinho irritates me. Hes so unwilling to commit his fullback.
On a side note am slowly starting to come round to the away strip.
Not sure I’d buy one but it looks ok.
Should have scored there, come on Bordeaux!
Evening Holics
We might not have put the ball in the net yet but the quality of play was a step up from last week and with a little more practice it will have me smiling again as I journey home from the Ems. The standard of our play is on the up and we can expect something approaching the very best of Wengerball as the Season progresses.
Certainly, the defence look much more secure and have benefited from Steve Bould’s input. For once at the Britannia there was no” heart in the mouth” defending, we looked solid and the full backs in particular played really well.
Our Spanish duo were very impressive, with Arteta covering the back four and Cathorla providing a full range of his passes to our front men and the attacking play of Gibbs, although he ran out of steam in the second half.
I thought Gervinho was less effective this week and hoped that The Ox would have been given more than 20mins. He looked sharp and strong enough to do well against the likes of Stoke and might have found us that illusive goal had he been given more game time.
The new boys up front are still finding their feet in our system , let alone the PL. The Anfield game will be a completely different proposition and we might get a better idea there of what they have to offer us. Let’s hope they get their shooting boots on asap.
Let’s hope we escaped the Potteries with no casualties , the late challenge on Vermaelen looked horrendous . Onwards and upwards, it will get better.
As always COYRs
Theo is defo a better option….
So Rabiot is a seventeen year old PSG player and not a particularly unpleasant Rangers fan from Belfast. Who knew?
Evening folks. Great posts ‘holic and BtM, and well in Oxon.
Just back from Orc on Trent, and am feeling somewhat better about a scoreless away draw than I thought I would.
In fact, I might go as far to to say that I actually enjoyed it. Although not as much as if we had actually scored obviously 😉
Arteta and Carzorla were frankly magnificent. Although Arteta feels a bit wasted in a holding role, his discipline and work rate are exceptional. Corporal Jenkinson is looking ten times more confident and composed than last season, and as for Gibbs – I thought he was just outstanding.
And for anyone concerned at the booing of Rambo, it was the tiniest fraction of what it was in the same fixture two seasons ago. Appreciate that many in the media like nothing more than to stir things up, but from my untutored ear, it seems to be now confined to a dwindling minority of their support who are likely the kind of bell ends all clubs have, regrettably, to contend with.
heh ‘holic 😀
Cheers snowy. Hope you’ve had a good bath after that trip :p
Evening all,
thanks for all the kind comments following my effort in the previous drinks.
Good to see your stylee back BtM, but I have to admit that I have deliberately and successfully avoided the whole Potter / Lord of the Rings thing. My loss maybe, but there it is.
I shall await more puntasticness next week ‘fore and aft the Mugsmashers.
Holic, re the lack of cover in the ‘Arteta’ position.
Koscielny has surely improved too much to be left out, but Per does add a lot in terms of organisation.
Could you see Vermaelen moving into the holding role if necessary ?
He is left footed, which is a benefit on the left side of the back four, but what to do with our sudden embarassment of riches ?
Great input, clearly, from Bouldy so far.
He’s got no hair, but do we care ? 😉
“bell ends” lol…….
Thanks snowy 🙂
Trev,
TV in the holding role in midfield against certain teams is something I’ve been crowing on about for ages (mostly to myself). I think he’d be ideal and offer the passing and muscle to bring it out well and even join the attack. The really bitter part of me will accuse him of doing it already last season at inopportune times.
We have to remember that we’ve kept the clean sheets (and very few opposition chances) without Sagna and Koscielny. I honestly think Per is dreadfully underrated because he’s not terribly quick, but he is so intelligent at watching the play unfold and keeping it in front of him.
Man of the match for me was Gibbs who made some masterful tackles, offered an outlet on the left and wasn’t afraid to go to the middle when needed. I think I saw a lot more trust/dependence on each other in our defending, calm, assured and filling in pockets. Arteta is another clever sod, always is a few steps ahead of the action.
And that’s two 0-0 for the day.
Predictable booing from the PSG crowd.
I thought it was a very good effort from Bordeaux, tremendous spirit, happy enough with this point.
Succinct post ‘holic….right on the money. Big heh to BtM’s alternative match report. Let’s hope the right business can be concluded before them month is out.
And that was Ciani’s last game, going to Lazio.
Have to say it’s quite refreshing this season in FRance, loads of players knowing they’re leaving, some hoping to, but giving their all for their current club.
Well done, Sir.
Real Madrid and PSG not having the best starts to the season.
Tim –
Agreed on Arteta. Brilliant player.
Best panic buy of last season ! 😉
They shouldn’t worry Charlie. It happens to the best.
Work commitments mean that I have only just managed to watch the full 90 minutes. If I am honest I am not really sure what I think. It was a real mixed bag for me. Stoke is never an easy place to go and play but that has to be the most negative I have ever seen them play. I felt we were more than up for the physical battle and were never going to be out fought. We certainly look more solid at the back, A lot of credit has been showered on Bouldy for his hard work but I would also like to praise big Per. He does not always get the press he deserves in my opinion but be honest, how often does he ever make a mistake? I do think he brings a whole new level or calmness and organisation to the whole defence.
In midfield I thought that the two Spaniards were outstanding although I agree that Arteta is wasted in that role. Carzola looks the buy of the summer. Outstanding.
At the moment however we seem to lack cohesion. I mentioned it after the Sunderland game and it has been eluded to above but we are just not ready. Whoever at the club that decided that a pre season trip to Nigeria was a good idea needs shooting. I can’t help but feel that if we had had another 3 pre season games that we would have a lot more tp show for our efforts this year than two goalless draws. We will never know of course but we need to get up to speed quickly. The understanding needs to develop between the midfield and the forwards. Daiby looked good in bursts. He clearly needs to get games under his belt. Flipper needs to make rapid improvements with his decision making. He gets a lot more right than he used to but then it all goes to waste. This is a big season for him. The same can be said for Theo.
Encouraging signs and still plenty to work on. We need to start scoring. We all know what the headlines will be tomorrow and we need to ensure that those become chip paper rather sharpish.
A week left of the window. There are many that need to have departed by the time we kick of in Scouse Land. I think it is almost bargain basement time. Buy one, get one free. Or just simply give some away. Do we really want certain players still being a drain on our resources when they could be far better employed elsewhere? Some decisions need to be made Arsenal and there is not long left. As for potential arrivals? Well, we can just hope I guess. What I would say is that if we close another transfer window again having made a profit then I wont be the only one asking questions.
Keep the faith.
Sorry Vito (didn’t say I was worried but…), you did great! As did the old and the new lads. We’re @ 12th place, better then last season so I’m fully confident we will be moving on up, where the air is thin. Umm, Holic, I don’t think your gig is that easy, either. Good report. Carry on.
So I’ve decided.
If It’s Tiote or M’Vila, I want M’Vila. If it’s Cabaye or M’Vila I want Cabaye. Same goes for Capoue. But if it’s Capoue or M’Vila, I want Capoue 🙂 !
I am so impressed by our defense. We’re dealing brilliantly with the three things we’ve had the most problems with for the past few years: Set-Pieces, Long ball and knockdowns, and most importantly counter attacks.
All this without our first choice CB and RB.
I’m loving it.
Delightful read, as ever, BtM. Frodo and Oli G are keepers.
Steve T@57: Spot on about Per. You just don’t play as many games for Germany as he has without being a top defender. His critics say he is slow — though that loping gait is deceptive when it comes to how much ground he covers and how quickly. Bobby Moore was slow, come to that. Like Per, he showed there was more to great defending than raw speed.
I really do not think that Tiote is anywhere near good enough. I would rather we keep our money.
And one other thing.
Poldi should be on the left. Was very impressive today, and had a nice understanding with Santi.
Ned. He is not quick, but as you say, he reads the game as well as anyone. I think he brings a calming influence when he plays. A leadership that perhaps we have lacked from time to time.
The verdict is in on the attack and the verdict is “not proven”. How we can spend £20m on two strikers and the manager be critical of our attacking play two games in a row is a bit beyond me. It wouldn’t suprise me to see him buy another striker. I hope he does anyway, because on the evidence of the first two games this pair have got ten goals in them. Between them.
Nonny Mouse.
Friendly bet – I’m saying they get more than 20 between them. How’s that?
You’re on. It is a bit mad to be writing them off so early, I know, but there’s hardly been a glimmer of anything approaching quality from either of them so far. One good run and a dreadful finish last week is about it.
They are not impressing in the slightest, which is a shame as the Cazorla deal is great business.
Get someone like Llorente in, stick AOC in the Diaby role (he’d give a ton more effort and provide an attacking threat) play Podolski wide left and shoot him if he doesn’t stay wide, play Theo wide right.
Happy days.
So we have two players who can take on defenders and make it look so darn easy, AOC and Poldi. Not bad. Watching the game again, Poldi involved with defending, he’s everywhere, an Energizer Bunny. Some nifty defending by Giroud, as well. Santi, don’t get me started…the real deal. And Per is Cool Hand Luke. Really, can’t see anyone not pulling their weight here (entire 11).
Mouse. We have played two games. Let’s judge in a few months. Podolski has 100 International caps and nearly 50 goals. That hardly puts him in the reject pile I wouls suggest? That said I do think we need a real finisher. A modern day Ian Wright.
We need width ABB. I have said it countless times now. When we play against sides that have no intention of winning the game we play all through the middle and just make the game narrow. There was a lot of talk about pre match about the bigger pitch. I just wish we would make more use of it at times.
Steve – did you get a chance to watch the link I posted the other day? It was Gary Neville’s analysis of the change in the Prem. It talked about width, so I immediately thought about you 😀
Sadly not. I will go back and find it. Unless you have it to hand and you can e mail it to me?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_RLdbrE39w
Nonny Mouse — I am curious about the Llorente bit. If we do a strength-by-strength comparison with Giroud, what really and how much is the difference.
I am sure you were one of those who wrote off Koscielny after the first season. Last season he turned out to be simply magnificent, a footballer’s footballer.
Let us wait on Giroud for a couple of seasons. There is enough hint to show that he might be another extraordinary Arsene acquisition.
Poldi, on the other hand, will demonstrate the EPL his qualities this season itself. Give him a fee more games.
All the fucking cliches about Arsenal players in the press is just ridiculous in their hypocrisy. An year and half ago RVP was ‘not good enough to play as a central striker’ and suddenly he is a ‘magnificent acquisition’ by ManU. Alex Song a few years back was ‘not premier league quality’ and now ‘too good for Arsenal’. I just saw the team of the week on BBC — my mistake, of course — and hey ho, ‘backpass’ Skrtel gets the nod ahead of Per and TV5. 🙂
It is a little sad when Arsenal supporters themselves fall for it…
That said, a third alternative for Giroud-Podolski — someone with PL experience who can come off the bench to score — would be an excellent buy. Not sure if there really are many who fits the requirements, affordable by our standard and can play Arsenal style…
I meant give Poldi a ‘few’ more games … 🙂
Fine summary Holic.
This forward line WILL come good given time, and in a lot less time than a fine malt. I liked the movement across the forward line but with 3 new attacking players plus the erratic (and somewhat underproductive) Gervinho, we were swimming uphill against well organised and unambitious defenders in 2 ranks of four. Time will certainly tell.
Santi certainly is the business and we have 2 real workers in Pod and Giroud.
Two more in and a bit of gelling up front and the future looks bright.
Slainte
Way too much “Chicken Little” talk going on both inside and outside the bar). I believe my earlier counsel was to evaluate the team after the first 10 games. 5 wins, 4 draws, and a loss.
Both of these draws should be noted for the defensive performances. Offensively, guys are getting into spots to cause danger. Sometimes the shots don’t come off. Sometimes (usually) the keeper is having a terrific day. But the goals will come. Just think, six more inches (down Wolfie) and Giroud would have the goal of the season. He is audacious. This is good for us, and I hope all this wailing and gnashing of teeth doesn’t serve to make him too pragmatic on the pitch.
Some of the patrons in here should just chill for 3 or 4 more games. Better yet, they should pump up the lads and the coaches for working on the defense. This is good.
Yes indeedy. This is good.
BMBD
Good stuff Lonestar.
Snir, just listened to your Gary Neville link.
He is the best rhing to happen to TV analysis for some time.
Very positive about Arsenal today on Sky, while Son of Yapyap pulled disparaging faces abd tried desparately to put us down.
Nurse Abb, you may have to keep a close eye on Steve T for a while if it is indeed true that modern teams are looking to play without width. 😉
I’m with the boss on this team. Lots of potential. What I love:
Gibbs. He is tackling much further up the field to stop the counter attack. He didn’t do that in the past.
Jenkinson. I am fascinated by him. Reminds of a horse that just won’t be passed. No matter how fast the opposition, he finds a way to stay with them. Affirmed had that 35 years ago.
The German looks like a different player this year just like the Frenchman did last year.
Diaby playing. You never want a player have injuries like he did. Not normally part of the uniform, but I hope he had a condom on today the way Lee Mason keep sticking his butt into him. Goodness, did Mr Mason have a bad day. He didn’t affect the outcome, but it was a bad day.
I love the energy out of the attack. Need to finish, but the desire to go forward and come back is there.
The midfield shape looks good.
Things I don’t like:
Theo should have been brought in earlier say around the 55 minute mark. He could have changed that game. I wonder if he stays.
The balls from set pieces. What is going on? Terrible terrible terrible today.
Not crossing the ball early. This team needs to learn the hardest thing in sport…play fast and play slow. Play fast when it is there and play slow when it isn’t. Frankly 70% possession is too much. The backs and wings have to cross early some of the time with Oliver and Lucas running on to the ball.
Something I have come to dislike. Tony P…two or three years ago I
had nothing but respect for his accomplishments with Stoke, now he just strikes me as a smart ass.
I hate to say it but I could listen to Gary Neville talk football for hours. No wonder he has been fast tracked into the England set up. I think he makes great points, but what he says is that wingers have gone but not wide play. I must say that I do not want the old fashioned winger getting to the by line and hitting a cross over for no one to meet. My point is that anyone that seems to play wide always seems to cut in. Now that is not so bad against the better sides who actually want to play. But I do think it is different for the sides that want to “park the bus.” If we play central then all we do is narrow the play. All that does is close the space we have. Width from midfield or full backs takes defenders out of that area and therefore creates more space for those in the middle. My view has always been this. It’s a big pitch, lets use it. Let’s draw defenders out of the middle and make it uncomfortable for them. Against Sunderland they played with two banks of four and just sat there. Drag a couple out wide and all of a sudden the gaps appear.
For anyone who is still not sure go back to the days of Henry, Pires and Freddie. All would break with pace and pull defenders all over the place. The opposition would be in chaos as we broke with ferocious pace. That is what I mean when I ramble on about width.
Snir, thank you.
“Let us wait on Giroud for a couple of seasons”
Can’t afford to, sorry. Players at the top level have to hit the ground running thesedays and sustain it, especially if the team they’ve joined hasn’t won anything for seven years.
Mouse, he has played less than 2 hours of Premier League football. think we need to cut him a bit of slack. I don’t remember either Bergkamp or Henry setting the place on fire instantly. We stuck with them and look what happened????
Maybe not a couple of seasons but they both deserve some time to settle in.
Cheers, Trev.
Is the window closed yet?
BMBD
Steve, I know what you’re saying but they have shown nothing so far and it’s that apparent lack of anything resembling ability to score goals that’s worrying. Even this early.
What impresses me most about Giroud is the fact he does the “small things” so well. The Stoke central orcs — erm, defenders — really appeared to be having a hard time with the Frenchman’s hard body.
More seriously, one can see that all the right elements are in place. The workrate is there, as is the kind of holdup play Chamakh can only dream about in a shisha-induced stupor. His movement is intelligent, and he’s fairly fleet of foot for a big man. Obviously passing to Ramsey was the safe play, but I enjoyed the cheekiness of his attempt to catch Begovic napping.
I love the directness of Podolski’s play. There was a point late in the first half where he got stuck in, emerged with the ball, and charged all the way up the pitch, drawing the attention of half the Stoke team and creating spaces for his squad mates.
I too would like to see a few quality reinforcements brought in during the last week of the transfer window. But it certainly isn’t because I believe Giroud and Podolski won’t come good for us.
Nonny –
I’ve read many of your posts with consternation, but I have to call time on you for a bit. Exactly what game were u watching today? We had seventeen corners and over 30 shots.
If you are bemoaning our profligacy in front of goal, my friend we have been living the same story fir the past 3 seasons when both the Spanish and Dutch blokes were playing. So I don’t see your point here.
If your goal is to negative about the new signings, I’d respectfully ask you to sit back, have a drink or two, and cut back on the moaning a bit. If we haven’t gotten the scoring monkey off our backs by early to mid October, then I’d be worried. I just don’t see that scenario occurring.
I guess I just don’t get the point of being so negative after just 2 games.
BMBD.
11 corners and 6 shots on target according to the BBC Lonestar but I do agree that we start to give these boys time to gel.
Steve – I agree our width needs to come from not only the fullbacks, but the wide players as well.
Gary Neville talks about this in depth here. Great analysis. Have a look.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBaDDC6ca08
As for breaking with Freddie, Dennis et al, I’m a bit confused as to what you mean. Do you mean breaking with pace as in counter attacks? Because I believe that is not your criticism about our lack of width. From what I understood, you have a problem with our lack of width when we control the play and dominate possession in the opponents’ half.
I’m struggling to understand how that has to do with breaking on the counter.
Steve T. @ 81 Finally, an explanation of ‘width’ my brain can process, thank you!
Steve, I thought signing Santos last season would’ve satisfied you need for width because I always thought when you spoke about “width” you were talking about wide players. 8)
Seriously speaking though, I think Gibbs and Jenkinson are good crossers of the ball so hopefully when they sort out what kind of runs Pod and Ollie make they’ll pump it in instead of cutting inside to pass to Santi…
Hello Nonny Mouse! Now you know why you’re here…let’s begin with Diaby. Maybe his slow deliberate style can be confused at times with lacking effort (ZEAL), but it enables him to have better control of the ball. Perhaps you just don’t enjoy his style (that’s your right). Now as for the Frenchman (not AW!), not only did he have that beauty from far down the field (what a shot, made me gasp), he also tried an impromtu bicycle type kick in front of goal, very fancy! He’s trying lad, you just know he is. Now as for Poldi, (if you could see me right now, you would see a look of adoration for this player), he will make you smile, my friend. Cheers, a drink on the bar for you (and some snacks as well).
I have to say these 2 games have been against teams that played for the 0-0 tie. Neither team played for anything more than that. Neither tried much more than a few counters. Today stoke tried the long ball knockdown routine almost exclusively. Our inability to score against these types of teams has nothing to do with this year or this particular group of forward players. we have had trouble for years against such strategy. ( I guess that’s why they do it). However, I think I have seen in these 2 games a few chances that we will convert with a little more playing time and luck. There have been instances in both games where the timing and positioning have been that half second off that will improve.
Chelsea is the only team that will matter at the end that has hit the ground running and maximized their points. I think we will see a rapid improvement over the next few games and we will play against teams that will try and score.
Try to score. I hope they don’t try AND score. More clean sheets and people will accuse us of being a defensive team.
Liverpoo looks nervous playing defense right now. They also come forward, leaving space. I think our speed outside will be of better use against them. Either gerv the swerve, theo or AOC.
By the way, I would have thought AOC would not like to be called ” the Ox”. But he called himself that while chatting up his arsenal player special Ox TV. Who’d have thought.
…Is this the quiet before the coming transfer storm or is everyone just sleeping thanks to Pulis’ attempt to cure insomnia up north? I still can’t believe his pleased-as-punch smile as he jogged down the tunnel. Pathetic…
Not worried about the current lack of scoring, as both Podolski and Giroud should come around soon enough. To me the loss of van Persie is less of a concern than the breakup of the Song/Arteta axis, which after RVP was the next most effective facet of last year’s squad. As indicated in previous comments, Arteta does a great job holding but he’s so much more valuable if he can go forward more than once or twice; to me his late miss today was a function of not being in the forward flow enough early on. Can’t wait for Wilshere to return to the midfield, as I see him and Arteta being able to work with each other in offense/holding interplay to maximum effect.
D&B, spot on re having to learn to play fast when it is there and play slow when it isn’t. It’s called “football sense”, and that’s why so many despair over players like Diaby and Gervinho, and even Theo. Physically talented, to be sure, but come up short in football intelligence. That’s why my first team would always have Giroud, Podolski, and Ox up front, with a mix of Cazorla Arteta, Wilshere (MENSA level football IQs all) and Rosicky in the midfield. Gervinho and Diaby are just late game subs, or “horses for courses” players to be featured against certain opponents (e.g., Diaby for physical teams)
saw the game on tv yesterday. we looked solid in defence with players supporting each other. long may it continue.
was irritated to see mert keep passing the ball back to the debutant keeper. thought i would have a heart attack with a misplaced clearance. and that gervinho. he can get your BP up. constantly falling over at the byline as if he ran out of batteries.
anyway looks like a lot of work needs to be done to bed in all our new players. like previously mentioned lots of hints of what is to come.
It felt like our forwards lacked the extra time /composure when they got the ball in the final third.
with 11 corners in the game and none on target bouldy has got his task cut out for him.
Oli G lurking about in the box like a real striker…
Your point re the back- up goalkeeper is very germane. I’m not a Wenger basher but I wonder if this is one of his areas of weakness. I know he used to lean heavily on Bob Wilson for wisdom in this area and wonde if Gerry Peyton is quite as gifted as a coach but I think the problem is that he lacks a strategy for goalies. I think Szczesny arrived very fortuitously at a time when our planning was all over the pace.Flappy is not a good back – up because he needs games and Martinez is too young but at least in a revamped youth environment with the. U21 league and Next Gen he is getting decent experience. But if Szczesny does get injured we are exposed and although Mannone did well today he is not good enough to play for a peroxide as Arsenal no 1. Ideally we need a Friedel or someone like this but the est available may be Craig Gordon on a free although I do not have an exhaustive knowledge of the European keeper market.
Up front I’d like to see us inject somebody else again if we suffer injuries.Chamakh cannot carry any load up there and we need a decent striker to understudy the two new boys. I don’t want to keep Bendtner but this must be crossing Wenger’s mind.
While this years activity was more coherent than last year we ave had two late departures again which unhinged the club and leave us scrambling in the last week again. I think this is because Wenger loves a bargain and horse trading his players away from the club but this is another year when the transfer window has not been handled brilliantly.
Didn’t mean peroxide I meant period but my iPad is at least as creative as our attack at present.
July 20th 1969.
‘ The Eagle has Landed ‘
watched by an estimated 600 million people,including me.
Aug 26th 2012.
The Moon Walker has gone back to the heavens,to live forever among the Stars.
Safe journey Big Fella.
RIP Neil Armstrong.
I too believe that we lack width in our style of play, and it is a common problem even the likes of Barca and Real face when they play teams which are difficult to break down
Of course in the premier league, we face this more often as teams are much more competent defensively
I hate to say this but purplenose has always had the understanding of breaking down these kind of defenses. Even with average midfielders, utd have won league titles because they have had wingers who could get to the corner and cross. Their style of play has always been – get to the wings and cross even if sometimes those crosses are dreadful
I think we need to adopt this at times, where our wingers/full backs take the opponents on, one-on-one and put the ball in the box.
For instance, Valencia can only go to the byline and cross. He is good at nothing else.
We choose to keep possession and not fire the ball into the box most of the times and it is frustrating. It is basically a gamble, where you can lose possession but the defense is far more under pressure when balls are flying in from all angles than when we are trying to break them down using ground passing/one touch tiki taka
Nonny, they have showed nothing? Did you not see how many headers Giroud won against the Stoke defenders? They tried to bully him but he just gave back as much as he got. He also got into several good positions and would have had a one on one with the goalie had Cazorla not made probably his only slightly mishit pass of the game. He very nearly scored the goal of the season. Poldi moved around well, showed a great work rate, found a few interesting combinations with Cazorla when cutting inside etc.
Snir@various: cheers for the Neville videos, very very interesting and I can say with some pride that I have noticed the same tendencies lately. Even if you keep your team wide, the bus parkers often simply won’t commit to closing the widest player down. No matter how wide the attacking team is, you’ve still got to get the ball into the middle at some point to be able to score. It’s simply a game of percentages – Pulis et al consider their chances of defending a cross/shot better with more bodies in the middle instead of trying to prevent the cross/shot ever happening.
And I can certainly see why Neville is such a popular pundit. Very good at explaining his points, uses the graphical tools very well and seems completely unbiased towards any team.
Thundertiny: I agree to a certain extent that we could do with better back-up, but I feel that the talk about our GK situation is taking on almost mythical proportions. It’s very, very difficult to find a back-up that is good enough to not make us worry when the first choice is out. Keepers who are good enough to do that are already first choices at other clubs and don’t want to sit on the bench for us or anyone else. There also seems to be a belief (not saying you are neccessarily included in this) amongst many that other keepers never make the mistakes our keepers do but that is just not true. This season alone, we have seen some stonking great howlers from Cech (the second Reading goal), Reina (flapping wildly for the first City goal yesterday and on numerous other crosses too in the same game), De Gea (the second Fulham goal on Saturday – what on earth was he thinking?) and others and we are only two games into the season.
And while Craig Gordon is or at least was a good keeper, he almost makes Diaby look like the Iron Man which is the reason he lost his place at Sunderland. And one thing we don’t need is another injury-prone player.
@87 – You weren’t watching the same game as me obviously. I can remember their keeper making one solitary save of note from a long range shot and that’s all. Most of our efforts were scuffed long range attempts launched more in desperation than anything. We are not creating chances and the lack of movement from the front two and lack of ability to create anything is worrying. Early signs are pretty desperate in my opinion, our front three yesterday were useless and if he’s not going to sign a striker, he needs to get a midfielder in who can score 20 goals, because we’re going to be woefully short of them from the so-called strikers this season.
Lars – so Giroud played like an ineffective Peter Crouch… not good enough.
I’m longing for a front six of
Podolski – Giroud
Wilshere – Cazorla – AOC
Arteta
It gives us a mixture of skill, pace, creativity, solidity, strength, concentration, height, passing, movement, interchangeability and work rate.
All of what Lars said.
I’m pleased with what I have seen so far, 2 clean sheets and we fronted up to the physical challenges.
The way that we have consistently leaked fucking stupid goals over the last few seasons has driven me nuts.
If we can keep this going this gives us a basis on which to mount a serious challenge.
Still not convinced about Diaby – to me he usually slows our attacks down and gives the opposing defences time to regroup.
Gervinho was piss poor again to day and didn’t allow Jenkinson to get forward wide right and get good crosses in. This started to happen as soon as Walcott (who I don’t rate came on) and we looked more dangerous.
Unlike most at the bar I’m pleased with the contribution of the 3 new boys as well.
Nonny: “Early signs are pretty desperate in my opinion, our front three yesterday were useless and if he’s not going to sign a striker, he needs to get a midfielder in who can score 20 goals, because we’re going to be woefully short of them from the so-called strikers this season.”
In other words: we can not be positive from the early signs, but you can with certainty say they they will be massive failures based on the exact same early signs? Ok then…
Let’s also remember that it took us almost five halves of footie (including a missed penalty by a certain Dutch player) before we scored last season and that goal was a rather soft one. That dutch guy wasn’t of much use so far into the season, and after scoring v ManU when we were already 6-1 down or whatever it was it took him another three games to find the net again in the league. Also, the real heroes of the CL qualifiers v Udinese were Walcott (goals in both legs), Szczesny (that penalty save) and Gervinho who set up RvP for what was basically a tap-in in the second leg. But you don’t hear much about that in the media, now do you?
A fine, well rainy, Bank Holiday morning to you all.
Have had a substantial back-drink and I would like to reiterate what Lars and West Upper said. But I don’t need to. 😉
Bstrum – thanks for your kind words yesterday, and my hat is well and truly off to you in return, sir.
It occurs to me that I am mysteriously sounding slightly camper than Henry Blofeld – ask Tabs or Holic if not familiar – so it’s off for a strong, really strong, coffee for me.
Marshmallows anybody ?
I`m sick and tired of so called pundits rubbishing our new strike force when, if they were playing for Liverpool or Chelsea they would be cautioning us that they need time to settle in. Of course, that was always going to happen if we failed to score. If you believed shearer last night, We have wasted our money on Giroud as he cannot even get the basics of positioning right.
I was encouraged by the Stoke game, and the fact they saw little enough of the ball for them to be unable to play their normal game. Like you `holic, I was dismayed when Mannone was announced, and was going to risk a tenner on us, since, for the first time, we had gone second favourites for a stoke game, but changed my mind, fortunately, as it turned out. It was a good performance in a game we dominated, and nothing that a couple of goals wouldn`t have put right and silenced the naysayers.
Slight disagreement with West Upper on Diaby btw.
I think he needs more games to reach his potential after 17 years of continuous injuries, and he is probably under instruction, as are the rest of the team, to be a but more careful.
I have hoped hard for a long, long time that Diaby will come good ‘cos his potential is huge.
He had a run of about 6 games two or three seasons ago where he was absolutely brilliant. Hopefully his fitness will allow him to consistently hit those heights again.
Right, coffee.
Agree with Lars @ 103 and 109
@ Trev
Agree with you on Diaby, and the run you may be thinking of culminated in the infamous 4-4 draw at Newcastle, before he was sent off.
Yesterday, I thought he was patient, won the ball back and shielded the back four in exemplary fashion. He was also one of the few who executed first-time forward passes, round-the-corner passes, and he split the defence once or twice.
Giroud was terrific – if he’d scored, he’d be MOTM. Gervinho was less effective but I have to commend all the forwards for their defensive work and general work rate.
Per and TV is looking like a great combination.
Whoever compared Jenkinson to Seabiscuit, spot on!
What Trev and Fun said.
(see I’m being very imaginative today…)
A fair analysis agree with you on the issue of new boys settling in though time might b an issue in this fast and furious league.why is it the English is always on our case? its ok for some clubs to drop all 3 points bt with us all hell breaks loose?
What Trev, Fun & Ollie said 😉
I literally switch my brain off when it’s pundit time. Crass is about the nicest thing I can say about them. However there is one exception, most surprisingly Gary Neville gives a balanced and informative view – most refreshing – and puts the rest of them to shame.
With regard to strengthening the midfield, I think the Fulham player Mussa Dembele looks a bit of a beast with good skill factor combined.
According to Jol he will cost a lot of money to prise away and allegedly has a release clause of £15 million in his contract….could be the missing link we need.
what Ollie said @ 114
🙂
Afternoon all,
After feeling a bit negative yesterday pre-match I’m starting to see the light again although I firmly believe we need one or two decent signings this week if we are to serioulsy challenge for the title. We shall see… Not holding my breath but it’s yet another opportunity for the club to make a sensible statement of intent.
The new signings are all excellent. The influence of Bould is obvious and I’ve said before he may have been our most important summer ‘signing’. Arteta is the new Koscielny and rapidly becoming indispensible to the team. TV5 looks to be an excellent new captain. Congrats to Don Vito who finally started to prove himself as a proper stand-in keeper to much relief all round.
… And if Snowy’s feeling OK about a 0-0 draw then that’s good enough for me 😉
IMO, we just need some more depth across the squad i.e. to supplement the departed and about to be so.
Fun G – So The Corporal is a retired race-horse? Who knew?
Trev – Good job we don’t shoot injured race-horses at The Arse, eh? Diaby remains a real prospect. Hopefully our other thoroughbred, LJW, will be back for a canter again in a month or so.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-19388301
After all the Mountain Lion talk of late, one was always going to escape from their masters 😉
The good thing about yesterday was that everyone knew their defensive duties, which is always important but the squad need to be consistent.
High tempo passing with everyone carrying out their defensive duties will mess a lot of good teams up.
Goals will come with training.
So Spurs are in for M’Vila, as well as another club which could be Everton or Newcastle. Which might indicate another movement from these.
Afternoon all.
Snir@89. Cheers for the link again. GN is very knowledgeable I must say and he makes some great points. Re the first clip where he talks about Clichy being wide and Stoke playing narrow. It’s interesting that the ball never actually gets to Clichy. If Citeh move the ball quicker and the pass makes it’s way out left then the full back has to go and defend it. The second clip shows what can happen when you use the pitch. Johnson gets it wide and subsequently others join him. That then creates the space on the middle for Toure to run into and get the shot away.
My view has always been that you need space to play the game. By making the centre so congested you shut down the space. I think that by spreading the play you create more space for those in the centre to make use of. I just feel at times we cut in far too early and therefore shut down the space and make it easier to defend against. Just my opinion of course.
Re breaking with pace. This is something I really miss. It used to be a trademark of ours. We would kill teams with it. But think back. How many times would we launch a break with say TH and his first move was to go wide. The opposition would often have two left on him. Now his movement would mean that his marker would have to go with him. The second defender would also have to move in that direction just in case the first is beaten. That then creates a great gap in the middle an on the opposite wing for the likes of Denis, Freddie, Bobby, Paddy etc to fill. It was like the Alamo. it’s the initial movement that creates the space and therefore the scoring opportunity.
COR @ 91. You make a valid point sir. I wonder if anyone else thinks that perhaps Santos with a bit more discipline could actually play in that holding role?
Mouse. I hear what you say but whilst we are still in August and the cricket season has a month left I would suggest that now is not quite the time to start panicking just yet? We have played only two games so far. The time for knee jerk reaction and panic is not just now I would suggest.
Steve T. Like the alamo? Very similar perhaps, but I think we should wait for Lonestar to be absolutely sure about that. 😉
FunGunner. Jenkinson like Seabiscuit? I’m not sure but a comparison to War Admiral can’t be far off. 🙂
http://tinyurl.com/92bd74r
Re: Diaby, Does anybody remember which game it was when Diaby and Eboue exchanged passes down the length of the near side of the pitch before one of them scored an absolute peach of a goal?
What Snowy said about what Ollie said about what Lars and I sa …. Oh!
Hi FunG – quite possibly – that run of games included Aston Villa at home where Diaby was magnificent. I can never remember dates, but I do remember a policeman standing with his rolled up blue shirt sleeves – oh, oh, Blofeld strikes again ! 😉
@125 – 8ball –
Aston villa away Boxing Day, Christmas before last.
Bloody Hell, I can’t normally do that !
Note to all those writing off our new signings:
Who honestly thought that we would be queueing up on this blog to sing the praises of Gary Neville ?
Life is strange and unpredictable.
It is also unlikely that Arsene took a punt on Giroud without having him watched a couple of times. 😉
Poldi has over 100 caps for Germany at the age of 27.
Not many players do that.
And even fewer bad ones. 😉
Trev, hate to say it but we didn’t play Aston Villa away boxing day Xmas before last 🙂 (we didn’t even play at all that day, we played Chelsea at home on Dec 27th 2010 and beat them 3-1)
But we DID play Villa away on Boxing Day 2008 and Diaby scored a peach of a goal from an exchange with Eboue, so you were only two years off 🙂 (it finished 2-2, Denilson scored our first goal, Diaby made it 2-0, we had a shot off the woodwork to make it 3-0 and then Gallas gave away an idiotic penalty and Zat Knight of all bloody cloggers made it 2-2 in stoppage time after a very weak clearance attempt by Kolo Toure)
Lars is the oracle… but we all knew that 🙂
One of my big three wishes this season is that Abou Diaby will enjoy the return to strength and full fitness that Robin Percy did last year. He has potential to deliver more than YaYa does at middle east lands. His skill level and pace are higher. His vision is excellent. His ball winning is good and he can score beautiful goals. One fully fit season will see the rust fall away, the speed of thought and feet accelerate and the name Diaby appear first on the team sheet each week. (maybe second once Jack is fully fit).
Lars, more talk of Denilson’s goals and the erectile tissue in the Brazilian girls breasts will be taking up more than their fare share of the space in Block 34, Row 41 🙂
I’m with Trev @112 and iBtM @131 on Diaby.
If the fella can remain fit we may finally see the player that was blossoming before the Jones assault at Sunderland and only in brief flashes after his return to the squad.
I’ll sacrifice a pork sausage to the Gods of Football Fortune to increase his chances.
Lars @129 –
2008!!! Wait ’til you have young children and see if you can remember one year from the next.
Or even remember two years at all !!
Funny thing is, I was at the Chelsea game in 2010 and still forgot it.
Help ! I think I will be 134 years old next year !
Still, at least I got the opponents and venue correct. 😉
IBtM –
You keep your erectile tissue out of the Brasilian girls breasts. Ooh er, 😉
iBtM @131 –
Do the Brasilian girls’ breasts have anything to do with your other two wishes ? 😉
TS @118 – horse pubs eh TS ?
Let’s hope Abou doesn’t turn out to be a Donkey Diaby then, 😉
@92 – Sorry, I missed your message earlier. Diaby has never been a particular favourite and I feel he has been far too much time (and money) to try to prove himself, without success. Giroud… well I’d rather he just did the simple thing, like cushion it on his thigh and shoot, rather than attempt scissor kicks when he has plenty of time and space.
Podolski I’d rather not talk about. He has been the biggest disappointment of the three so far though.
I’ll have a small hemlock and lemonade please…
@137 –
Horse puNs, even.
Ease of typing is not the iPad’s strongest feature.
Nonny Mouse, I’m speechless re your comment about Poldi, but hey, tis your opinion and I respect it. A lemonade for you without the hemlock (smilling).
Ollie @ 119 I know the article was meant to be serious, but how I laughed. Needed that!
@ 125 behind the 8 ball but gunning for glory
That would be Aston Villa… I think we ended up drawing that game and Diaby scored.
Uply (from the previous set of drinks) Thanks mate!
Thought this was lovely. Bobby McMahon (Fox Soccer Report) had some glowing remarks about Gibbs. When you consider the source, pretty impressive. The day he cuts Arsenal any slack is very rare indeed. Still like him though (how he loves the game).
What Lars and Uply and Trev and Fun and Ollie said.
abb – I think you’re contractually bound to respect people’s right to hold whatever opinions they wish. I’m not so sure that you are obliged to respect those or any other opinions.
COYG ICDDR
Holic,
4 in 4 out. I think you might be prescribing the right remedy there.;)
To me, we need :
1) Another creative/technical player. Gervinho, Walcott tend to be “direct”players. Santi is deployed at present in the middle (and if he gets a knock, our shooting average goes down).
We have some good will at Barca now selling their wayward son Cesc back to them and giving them a Song. Affelay is unsettled. We should get him. He plays across the midfield and may even be able to be depployed as a fast striker.
2) ‘DM’ back up (woe the thought). Arteta has been excellent holding and Diaby looking good shuttling the ball up and down the pitch. I’m not sure if Wenger will move for another player in this area with Coquelin looking promising but with Diaby’s durablity in question, it should seem a wise choice to add. I think the choices may be between MVila (a specialist), Capoue ( a more economical alternative who can also cover as a CBack).
3) Defense – Aryton Santos may have added a bit of prediliction towards some cover out left. The choices may be toward a specialist LB (in which case are we replacing Santos who is coming to 30?) or maybe MBiwa who can play across the back 4 (in which case Djourou may be ona last season and Miquel will have to fight hard for a berth)
4) Striker – Whilst I am sure our strikers will get off the mark (hopefully sooner than later), this is an entirely new lineup up front. I would think gettinga third striker in will improve our odds somewhat.
My preferance would be for us to bring in a younger man (since both new strikers are close to peak age), and someone techinical/quick.
Trouble is I’m not sure that we have a good selection to choose from at the moment and this purchase may rely mainly on opportunity (not to mention sales of our 3 current spares – Bendtner, Park, Chamakh).
Some candidates may include Jovetic (much coveted and therefore rather pricey at the moment), Leandro ( 20m was asking price for Spuds….surely we’ll get a slightly better price being that we are in CL and we are a better team:D) and maybe, just maybe Pato (?)…yeah I know he is more injury prone than RVP but he is still only 22! Milan are rumoured to be considering Bendtner (maybe a loan?). They may be a bit tired of relying on the crocked Pato. If we give them a small sum enough to off lay say bringing in Leandro to their squad (+Bendtner on loan), we could risk Pato (pending an injury assessment) as he is thrid strker anyway and need not be necessaily available for us till Dec/Jan. But what an asset he’d be if fully fit. He will give us an alternative approach up top, fox in the box with speed to burn!
Anyway, let’s hope we see good signings coming in. We’ve lost two prized players in RVP and Song (let’s not make bones about it) and it has affected our start but we should shape up pretty quickly (quicker the better). We need some additional tools into the system to help us further break down difficult opposition (crucially tools that give us different dimensions/approaches)
Stoked to see what imrovements come in….hopefully;)
‘Ayrton Santos’, heh.
*likes*
I know he is flavour of the month, but I would quite like us to have a little look at Dembele this week.
He’s versatile enough to play in three or four positions, he’s already bedded into the Prem and he would be within our price range (assuming rumours are true).
He looks to me very much like an invincibles era Arsenal type player and I think he would slot in nicely.
What he wouldn’t do, admittedly, is bring pots full of goals with him, but I have a gut feeling that Poldi and Giroud will sort that out for us. Most forwards take a game or three to settle in a new league.
Beyond that, I’d still like a new def mid so that we can release Arteta forward a bit more. Any of the named suspects will do.
As far as defensive cover, we’re presumably looking for someone who won’t insist on starting too many games, won’t cost the earth and can play at least a couple of positions. I wonder if Arsene might take one of his “WTF”, out the blue punts on Jonny Heitinga, who fits the bill and would bring bags of experience, even if he’s not exactly “super, super quality”. I gather he’s available for a song (and not the recently departed one with the bad hair).
Reserve keeper: I haven’t an earthly. Hopefully not Craig Gordon.
Obviously, in an ideal world I’d like Llorente, M’Vila, Julio Cesar and M’Bia, but the chances of that happening are slim to fuck. The above seem slightly more Arsene-ish prospects.
Big week for the club. It really is “spend some fucking money” time again. I think the squad actually looks pretty healthy, and is good enoug for top four (with a Bould-powered mean defence). But if we make a profit yet again this summer after what happened last term then I’d say the writing is on the wall, and there will be some angry voices raised and concerns expressed, both in the stands and, quite possibly, in the dressing room.
Always 100% behind the team and the gaffer, come what may, but have it all crossed for a couple more decent squad additions this week, and for the wantaways to exit the building.
COYG
abb 143….your welcome. Maybe you could be Fox on the Box 😉
Santori 146. Heh for “Ayrton” Santos.
Agree, a Pato loan deal sounds good but only if he is fit (or soon will be).
Pato? I don’t think he’d do much good for us even if he wasn’t perma-crocked. I’ve never understood the hype around him, he’s no better than any of the players we’ve already got.
Lars…I am happy with the 2 new additions (lulu & hunk) but how much longer will we have the luxury of TGSTEL, Park-Bench and Chamakh attack as back ups. 😉
@150 –
I thought he was an italian postman. 🙁
Santiri – Ayrton Santos, 🙂
N7 – liking Dembele and Heitinga.
Tough players and decent backup who probably wouldn’t cause ructions if they didn’t start every game.
Prefer Dembele to Chiek Tiote.
Uply – TGSTEL is luxury ?
Trev….just for him to still associate himself with AFC is a great honour bestowed by him 😉
Previously mentioned Dembele looks like a good player who would fit in well – I like the cut of his jib (down Wolfie). Our midfield, Diaby apart,is rather diminutive and we could do with a bit of beef there. Even LJW is, well wee, but of course immense in talent.
In his mind, Trev, look at these cars.
Regarding ‘making some profit’, I don’t mind, I suppose we still have a couple of years of having to, I’m not sure anything’s changed since Arsène said we had a summer or two ago.
But I’d love us to get a couple more quality players, they don’t have to be very pricey.
Arteta-style signings, you know.
Trev..if he could deliver a goal….first class. 😉
Trev…whoops …that’s to your 152
Thanks all for the memory of Aston Villa being the opponent on this beautiful Diaby/Eboue goal. The year seems to be 2010 according to the Youtube date but my admittedly faulty memory suggests it was longer ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOs2Gf0rhd8
Vamos Vassiriki! (I’d rather say it now, rather than after Real Madrid come calling for him.)
Dembele is a classy player. I would be willing to donate a fiver toward the cause of Arsenal buying him if we otherwise can’t afford him. 😉
Ayrton Santos 😀
No worries about the new strikers, but this is where we need the “old” players to chip in – Arteta, Walcott, Gerv – even Vermaelen?
N7 – Spend SOME f*cking money indeed. Totally agree. We need to strike the right balance (sic) between our on and off-field ambitions.
bt8b @ 161: put me down for a fiver too.
Hey everyone.
A little but here goes.
I watched a flash back in time match between us and Utd.
It was a 2006 match at the Ems.
The line up was:
Eboue – Toure-Senderos – Clichy
Rosicky – Fabregas- Flamini- Hleb
Henry – Adebayor
That was an Awesome team which ended up finishing in fourth place. After going 1-0 down from a Ronaldo cross straight on to a Wayne Rooney shot.
We retaliated by throwing on RVP and was long before the Dutchman was on the end of Fabregas pass which ended hiring the back of the net.
Then to finish up Eboue crossed over a nice pass to Henry which as you can guess/remember Van Der Sar was none to pleased to realise the ball had hit the back of the net.
Adebayor and Henry did a little dance but I could not help remembering that Henry was preparing for his long term trip across the shores.
Well, it’s worth a watch on Arsenal Player under Archive.
Well that’s it, the rains falling and my mind is telling me it’s time to sober up before bed.
Happy ‘holicking’
Furiously searching the interwebz for any transfer news. Sadly none.
Looks like LWCs are going to spend the modric money on Mvila.
I dont mind losing out on mvila. I think he has great potential and will be world class in 2 seasons. But that is the problem.
We dont have the luxury of waiting for 2 years at the moment. We need someone to hit the ground running.
In many ways, this should make life easier for Arsene and IG. I guess this essentially means Premiership players.
I think we missed a trick in the RvP transfer. We should have used RvP to get Chicharito to Arsenal. He is EXACTLY the kind of player we need. Brilliant movement in the box.Always on the shoulder of the defender and absolutely clinical in the box.
Sigh, I can but wish.
Sorry the first half of my post was a bit fucked up because I couldn’t scroll this damn thing down to proof it.
It starts making sense from about the half way mark.
GoonerTown..
My favorite Emirates game from that season.. :-). We did the double on Utd that season too.. When was the last time THAT happened./:(
Good points of Chamakh + good points of Bendtner = Giroud.
Love it when Poldi goes all direct on our asses.
Just randomly mumbling to myself in the corner…
Sajit
You’ve got a good point re: Hernandez and i thought that myself. My only gripe with him would be that he hasn’t yet hit that 20+ goal mark. That was my gripe with Demba Ba too.
But saying that I’m sure we can supply him with plenty of chances. His experience in the prem would be appreciated.
I don’t think M’Villa would need to worry about settling in as his role merely requires him to be confident and competitive.
As you say, the chances of us getting him on board now are slim. My gut tells me Surs won’t attract anyone like Martinez, release clause or not. M’Villa could go there reluctantly to tie up a deal, leaving us with a reduced number of options.
Anyway time to proof read.
Sajit
That game was awesome.
FunGunner @ 170,
Apart from the positive assets in Bendtner’s game, what I remember most about him is his first touch. I still find it amazing that he didn’t improve on it after 5 years at Arsenal. Giroud on the other hand has a measure of touch, which is important in the way we play and build our attacks. And also, by the evidence so far Giroud seems under no illusions about his margins of improvement.
I back-drank a bit but couldn’t find the post you referred to… but I don`t accept the equality 🙂
Cin-Cin
@ Isidore
Re-read my 170.
If you mean Giroud has other good qualities in addition to being the combination of the best of Chamakh and Bendtner, I agree.
And I wasn’t referring to anyone else’s post when I wrote mine at 170, btw.
Oh I see. Chamakh was part of the equation. That`s closer to the truth.
Forgive, Fun!
@ 176 Isidore
🙂
@Nonny, while it is true our opposition goalies did not have too many saves to make, you must also consider the fact that Sunderland and Stoke are probably two of the most defensive sides in the Prem. They don’t give away too many chances against any team, let alone Arsenal. In fact, especially against Arsenal when they are happy to come away with a point and sit with two banks of four ‘defenders’.
Therefore it is erroneous to deem our two strikers toothless from two such games. Give them time. We will face teams who will actually play a little bit and not sit back with 8 defenders. Heck even Messi and co had a difficult time finding space against Chelsea’s bus. With time, the spontaneous understanding between our attackers will come.
Regarding Giroud, remember Drogba when he first came to the Prem? Can’t finish off chances to save his life, sloppy first touch, but we all know how his PL career ended up. Give Giroud some slack, and support him. After all the team came away from two tricky games with much to look forward to.
Haven’t heard any of Mannone’s usual critics piping up recently …
@179: Hey 8ball, I will admit that I seriously never rated Mannone and was very worried when I saw he was starting in place of Wojciech but he surprised me on Sunday. He looked calm and strong. If he remain like that and pick the ball up when it’s in his box he can stay as third backup keeper I figure.
What are you drinking btw?
Steve T & 8ball –
The Alamo? I hardly remember that football match. 😆
BMBD
Cannons. Granted it was as uneventful a day at Stoke on Sunday as a keeper is likely to face but the only other time I saw him was his 3 points saving game against Fulham a couple of years ago so I really have no basis to criticize him. I’m glad SZCZ is our main man but Vito can’t be much worse than Fabianski can he? “Third straight clean sheet cocktail” will be my drink of choice for the remainder of the week. 🙂
Wow Nonny, you (sir or madam) are a veritable bastion of negativity. I hope you can find something, somewhere to be excited about…
BMBD.
According BBC and David Spurs looking to spend Modric money on Lloris, MVila and Dembele..
Should we be worried?
Worried? About spuds? Surely you jest, my good sir.
BMBD.
@182: I’ll drink to that!
@184: Somewhere in the middle there you mentioned “Spurs” so I don’t think we should be worried 😉
Worried? AVB with half a new squad and not knowing who can do what….
I’ll drink to them being in the bottom half and him going to West Ham by Christmas.
I’m not worried about Spurs. They are shit and will be for quite some time
Our aim should be higher this season – higher than 3rd. I’m quite worried about Cuntski though
I’ll start worrying about Spu*s when they’re 12 points ahead of us again. Maybe.
Same here Harsha, it looks like the fluked CL victory combined with the still rather deep pockets allowed them to attract more players.
Sajit, I find it unlikely that they shall land all three of those. And I’ve never rated Lloris, a fine shot stopper but pretty much useless at catching crosses. Also, if I am not mistaken, Lloris has said he will only move for CL football – though big paychecks seems to have an amazing ability to make players reneg on such statements.
M’Vila I know too little about to really have an opinion on but I thought he played well in the Euros, though that was only one game.
Dembele, however, I do rate. Every time I’ve seen him play for Fulham he has impressed, with perhaps some reservations for his defensive discipline. This last bit may possibly be why there hasn’t been very much talk about him moving to any CL clubs.
I’ve just realised the CL draw is at 6pm on Thursday.
I think I’ll be leaving work early that day.
It’s a strange mix, the Arsenal fanbase.
No matter what we do, we are damned, either by our actions, or for some, by our inaction.
Let’s start with our actions.
We leak too many goals. So we get two clean sheets.
We rely too much on van Persie. So we buy two international strikers.
We cannot win the league with midfield players of the calibre of Alex Song – defensively indisciplined, too slow, too big for his boots, ya de yada. Then the internet goes nuclear when we sell him.
Then there is the inaction.
We don’t sort players contracts out early enough. (Koscielny shows how flawed this thinking actually is: “I want to be here, where do I sign?” )
If there is inaction, it is down to the player himself and the infernal agent, lasciviously licking away at his ear-lobes.
So, we’re a tad frustrated. 2 points from six. Lots to work on.
Am I satisfied? Hell, no.
But the words of the Man of the Match on Sunday, tells you the players feel exactly the same.
I’m satisfied that we had a striker defending corners like his life depended on it. I’m not satisfied that from our own 12 corners we did not create anything near to a goalscoring opportunity.
I’m satisfied that with time and work the goals will start to come. I’m not satisfied that Gervinho started before Oxlade Chamberlain.
I’m satisfied that Victor Mannone was untroubled on Sunday. I’m not satisfied that one game into the season we’re relying on our 3rd choice keeper.
But more than anything, I am satisfied that Arsene Wenger knows better than I do how to fix the problems.
I’m also satisfied that when he DOES fix it, there will be so-called Arsenal supporters who are not satisfied.
GREat post, zico. With one reservation: I wish Gervinho had been (a lot) better on Saturday though, but I have no problem with him having started ahead of the Ox when the Ox is just back from injury.
I mean, I know every single one of our players is shit, but Gervinho having a good game was not beyond the realms of possibilities…
Should we be worried about Spurs?
Only if you have forgotten your bio-suit…… 8)
http://www.francefootball.fr/#!/news/2012/08/28/075757_e-capoue-je-dois-encore-travailler.html
Snir, nothing there, but I suspect he’ll only move next season. Or in January 😉
Toulouse are tough negotiators though.
Ollie,
Gervinho frustrates the living daylights out of me.
I understand that the Ox was coming back from injury, and he didn’t exactly have us all doing Mexican Cartwheels, but I think he offers more in terms of end product.
And the sooner that Wenger chap listens to me……. 😉
Gervinho frustrated the fuck out of me on Sunday too, zico, the white Hleb or something. I thought he had some rather harsh press the weekend before, but he really didn’t get much right last weekend.
And then there’s Feo 😉
*kicks ball*
Another assist from ‘the bridesmaid’?
BANG!
Shoots
Sorry N7, nice goal, well in but you’re dead now! 😉
*Pulls shirt over head to reveal “Who the fcuk is RVP?” under-shirt*
*Sprints at full speed down touchline before being caught by the rest of the players, pulled over to the byline and issued an Andre Santos style caution*
Ollie @ 202
It’s the price you pay for glory!
An ‘Ayrton Santos’-style caution, surely 😉
Nice one zico.
Sorry Ollie, couldn’t hear you, have to speak a but Nicky Louder. 😉
**Transfer news**
Milan have rejected the opportunity to fullfill the three demands of ‘the worlds greatest striker’ and have opted for the new, fresh and exciting Niang from Caen.
It has not yet been established whether Milan were unable to fulfil all three or just selected demands but it is believed that they will be kicking themselves for missing this first class train ride.
Ah well better luck next time Milan.
Keep it locked here for the most reliable transfer updates on the web.
I’ve got to say,signing Defoe and Cabaye would be a coupe.
Sajit @ 184
Now they have their 33 mil they will be linked with everyone.
They will be bargain basement shopping like the rest of us.
They will try to see if they can get themselves Santi, OG and Poldi after 30+ mil type purchases. I remember when they brought Palacios, Song then emerged that year and they ended up selling him on two years later.
They bought VDV but we still ended up pasting them only to let them back in through the backdooor. He now wants out of the crumbling dump.
No matter what, they will always be one step (or more) behind us.
No matter what!
The borough of Haringey just doesn’t have the resources
Where’s this new stadium they had planned?
Cusop?
Nice post Zico.
BMBD.
Dramaqueen Barton ‘amuses’ me.
The problem with trying to make transfer purchases this late on in the day, is that clubs can use the ‘not enough replacement time’ clause.
I do not expect us to make any ‘amazing’ signings before the window closes.
But you never know!
It’s only 3pm here, Gtown.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/champions-league-draw-who-could-we-face-
I didn’t know about these red/blue thing but now I understand that it was indeed television (well they don’t say it, but it’s quite clear) that was the reason for the bizarre draw last season: ‘we draw this team but er, it can’t go into this group; or that one, so well, it goes there and fuck randomness’.
These draws are really silly.
Also who the fuck are ‘Nordsjaelland’ ?
I take it they’re the Norwegians champions, maybe some Rosenborg results mean they have a direct place in the group stage?
Can’t remember many good results from Norwegian clubs lately though.
*googles* No, Denmark. Can’t remember them setting Europe on fire either.
And to think Cuntski denied the Belgian champions a direct place.
Cunts.
Ollie
Can we draw Zenit St. Petersburg, and if we do is there any word on where Andrei’s loyalties will lie?
He might be there by then 😉
If so he will surely score against us. To use a little Franglish, these scripts are deja ecrits. 😉
Ollie @215 –
I don’t believe the Danes did set Europe on fire, but they did quite a lot of raping and pillaging. 😉
Cheers, Trev. I did think someone might be replying along these lines, Trev 🙂
burning follows on from pillaging, invariably (see-Tottenham 2011)
Afternoon All,
Nice report Holic. Not much to add, I think your report and the subsequent drinks have covered it.
Very heartened by most of what I saw. The Defence was assured and resolute in a way that we have not seen since the Orcs re-entered the top echelon of English football. The Bfg radiated an understated authority throughout and real heart-in-the-mouth moments were noticeable by their absence.
Both full backs did all that was asked of them defensively and got forward to good effect. Gibbs can be particularly proud of his afternoon’s work.
In front of the back four there was much to admire, even though, as Arsene admitted, they are still lacking “little bit of sharpness”. Diaby and Podolski foraged to good effect for an hour before their influence faded, Arteta was immaculate in everything he did, and Cazorla continues to look “to the manor born”.
Gervinho was the only real disappointment of the day, and it is difficult to envisage that either he or Theo will be able to keep The Ox sat on the bench for very long.
Had the much needed goal come, I have little doubt that the display would have been hailed as the consummate away performance. It didn’t however, and we are therefore assailed by accusations of sterility in the final third.
Most “culpable” in the failure to find the back of the net was for the second successive week Mr Giroud. Had he looked up in the final minute, he might well have found a pass for Aaron to provide the greatest karma moment ever. He didn’t however, and now finds himself as the target for those quick to rush to ill-founded judgement.
The man has had 75 minutes of Premiership playing time. For much of those 75 minutes he has looked well equipped to deal with the very particular challenges that the Premiership sets. His movement has been good, his first touch classy, and his physical prowess a boon. Yet because he fluffed the best chance of the game against Stoke (the sort of chance that the Dutchman often missed by the way) and because he failed to spot the advancing Ramsey at Stoke, he is damned as “not good enough”. It is a damnation as laughable as it is premature.
Onwards to the Mugsmashers.
Totally agree Tabs.
I would even mitigate on Girouds behalf that, even if he had seen Ramsey in the middle, that option may have been no better than the amazing effort he made on goal himself.
Aaron is not the fastest over the ground and it is by no means certain he would have won the race to the ball and, judging by recent efforts, beaten the keeper.
Back to work. 🙁
Ollie @ #211 – Barton Must Be Destroyed? Put-down like an old pet preferably.
Trev @ #219 – Heh! Wasn’t that the Norwegians though?
Vikings TS – near enough for me. 😉
Ollie
Tis now 16:35
Getting later 😉
All vikings anyway, TS.
Swedes also qualify, I believe.
Not forgetting Lars and his illustrious Swedish ancestors as well, Trev.
Good thing we didn’t sign Sahin. Turns out he is delusional.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19400925
“Liverpool can finish in top four this season ….”
I almost would say I forgot to add a 😉 at the end of that last post. Almost.
Waiting for Pravda to announce the departure of Lansbury to Notts Forest.
Good luck young man! Hope you get truck-loads of playing time there.
Tabs,
Will totally agree. There is no certainty that anyone else would have put either if those chances away any better than Giroud. Watching the replay of the Stoke game, I was very encouraged by his touch and strength. He was in the fight the entire game. His scissor kick attempt off the corner could have possibly been struck better but if he had tried to bring it down off his chest or knee he would have been smothered by the out rushing defense and may not have gotten any shot away. And the pass to Aaron? Well, I don’t think he saw him but I do think he saw the keeper totally cheating in that direction so took the attempt. If he had of put it to Aaron, I am not sure it would have been any more than a 50:50 ball between aaron and the keeper.
We will have a lot more space at liverpoo and I expect us to take those opportunities. AOC and poldi on the wings please skipper.
The “RVP would have scored that” tribe have short memories.
No goals from his first 180 mins last season. Not to mention this (although at least it wasn’t an important game or anything):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caqDbP4Lqro
Cracking player, was the skipper, but his departure seems to have transformed him into the greatest striker of all time who never put a foot wrong and took every chance he got.
Same magic process that turned the Da Silva twins into “world class prospects” a couple of seasons back, and that has Phil Jones a future England captain.
Actually, the links from that video tell a story in themselves, particularly the latter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caqDbP4Lqro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0X2e-U0RRQ
Trev, agreed re Giroud. A couple of inches lower and it would have been hailed as visionary brilliance.
What Snowy said @117 🙂
I echo the thoughts of N7, Trev , Lars and 8Ball re Dembele. Impressive all last season and a buy out clause (or so I’ve read) of £15m. Bargain. No speculation linking him with us though. Perhaps that is a good thing. Arsene under the radar?
Dr Z @192 Great post. Is Dr Z a cowboy? Hell no. 😉
NorCal – I think you might get your wish for the Liverpool game.
N7 – Couldn’t agree more. Revisionist memories indeed!
Heh, not a cowboy, and most definitely not a pirate 😉
Haha 🙂
Henri Lansbury signs a 4 year deal with Forest. It’s a shame to see he has not made it with us. I loved his attitude. Just could not quite make the next step up. Good luck fella
Tabs, if theo is still here I think he might actually get the start against Liverpool this weekend. I would prefer AOC because I think he has more skill than theo and more than just speed.
If theo starts then I would like a midfield of AOC, Arteta and Cazorla. Don’t think we need the size of Diaby in this one. Maybe if protecting a lead bring on Diaby. Just my thoughts on our personnel at this point. Also, wonder if Kos is healthy have him instead of Mert to deal with Suarez.
Hmm, not sure NorCal. Difficult to second guess Arsene, but I think all things being equal (fitness etc), AOC might just get the nod out wide with Theo/Gervinho used as impact subs. I think Diaby will start.
Choice at the back is very tricky. On the face of it your argument to include Kos has much to recommend it, but I have a sneaky feeling that Arsene won’t want to disturb a unit that has worked very well thus far in. Tough to drop Per after sunday.
I agree hard to drop Mert based on last 2 games but Suarez is a slippery little ( put your favorite word here). He is the master of the nutmeg and I’m afraid a one on one with Mert favors Suarez every time. Hope he is not one v one with anyone but Kos is better at that and has speed to recover if beaten initially.
I agree that AW is going to ride Diaby this year and hope his faith in him pays large dividends. I’m cool with AOC on the wing.
I am sure AW has a better feel for it all.
Agree with that NorCal. Don’t know about his fitness, but I’d probably use Kos ahead of Per when facing the likes of Suarez.
The Kos versus Per debate is made interesting by the selection of Vermaelen as captain, thus making it nigh on impossible to drop him.
That problem would not have arisen had Wenger given the armband to Arteta.
I tend to agree with NorCal – Kos is tailored made to go up against Suarez in a way that Mertesacker isn’t.
I still think our best two centre backs are Kos and TV although I accept that TV looked like he had regressed a bit defensively last season, after a long period out.
Ultimately, these are good problems to have.
Having choices I mean, is a good problem to have not the TV regression bit….
Zico, the captain decision does make it a bit of a tough situation. Makes him harder to drop but not impossible in some games. Arteta is a very capable vice captain and I think TV would understand he is not going to play every minute. If no other reason than we run out of gas when we don’t have good squad depth and rotation at every position.
Here’s hoping skertle is even more nervous on the ball after gifting mancs a goal last week. I say pressure him big time every time he has it deep!
Completely agreed on OliG, I think he has been really good against Stoke, worked his socks off and gave both Stoke centre-backs really difficult game. His physical presence is without doubt something we will surely profit from during the course of the season. He has nice touch and bags of confidence which is one of the most important things for striker. Once he hits his first I have gut feeling that he will be hard to stop from scoring.
As for line-up vs Liverpool – Santi, Arteta, AoC midfield, OliG, Poldi, Feo in the attack please, with Gerv as impact sub later in the game. Hard to see Kos getting a nod ahead of Per after his performance this weekend for sure although Arsene might thing otherwise.
zico 244: indeed
shame about henri, i always liked his attitude and application. the goal v. spuds was a true gooner’s goal. good luck with forest, henri!
i think “dropping” per is a harsh way to look at starting koz with tv5. that is, it’s more “rotation” and “appropriate skillset”. in the same way i’d expect koz to be “dropped” or “rotated” v. stoke, for example. if arsene is going to be ruthless this year, insofar as he’s willing to send song to barca because he’s flirting with the bastards, i’d like him to be ruthless in this way, as well. it would give us more flexibility to put our best skillset/form/attitudes against our opposition, rather than be forced to rely on “undroppables” for everything.
*think goddammit 😛
Rotating central defenders is not a good idea in my opinion.
Especially if we go back to the George Graham style of defending, pushing up in unison and like clockwork.
Keeping the 3rd choice player happy and “ready” to fill in when required, then becomes the main problem. But you shouldn’t mess about with your central defenders in a way that you might in positions further up the pitch.
z, i understand the “understanding” that gets built, but i’d expect if you rotate among three the understanding gets built that way, too, between all three (or both pairs, if tv5 is everpresent). this is the only way i can see people getting rest, or being able to start other competitions with other defenders…
the speed issues per has can only be alleviated so far by his positioning; i’d think koz would be better against a cnut like suarez than would be per, because he has some recovery speed compared to per.
Tabs@224: some numbers to back up your point. Last season two out of every five shots that RvP took at goal were off target; 141 shots, 82 on target, 59 off (41.8%). The numbers for all the rest of the team put together were 331 shots, 154 on target, 177 off target (53.5%). But RvP scored from one in five of his shots, whereas it took all the others nearly eight shots to score.
I am not calling for a continuous rotation of the center backs and I agree the understanding and cohesion of the back four is imperative to have a good defense. I just feel that Kos is a better ground defender for the likes of Suarez. He held his own against Messi so I feel more comfortable with him in there. Mert tends to back off more against shifty little gays like Suarez. Gives them more space. The good thing is suarez’s finishing is no where near that of messi’s. I will not think it is a mistake if AW chooses Mert. I just personally like Kos against I player like Suarez.
I would have preferred Captain Arteta.
But, I have no complaints with the squad at this point.
BMBD
OOh.. so now Theo wants to play hardball eh? all Ill say is fuck off with a capital f.
No other manager would have probably shown so much patience towards a player.
And besides, if Theo thinks he can get a better deal than what he has at Arsenal (playing wise , package wise etc) he needs to stop sniffing glue.
In a bizarre story from Anfield, following his recent defensive blunders, the horrible Luis Suarez has appealed to the Kop to racially abuse Martin Skrtel.
A Kop fan said today, however, that there was no chance of the kop calling the skrtel black !
Sorry, coat please. 😉
Anyone got a times membership?
http://thetim.es/Rk9QVK
Theo rejected our offer.
Snir,
Also here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/9504761/Arsenals-Theo-Walcott-sparks-interest-from-Manchester-City-and-Liverpool-after-rejecting-new-contract.html
Snir,
As I see it this could be very similar to what Danny Welbeck did with UTd. He stalled on contract negotiations and finally got a rise from 15k to 75k..
On the other hand, I cannot see Theo being a starter for any other CL playing English side. And I doubt he has it in him to go outside England.
If he is looking for a mega-contract he is seriously delusional.
We are already stuck with very high paying contracts from average players. And I dont know what the offer for him is , but anything above 90k pw is a serious rip off.
The ONLY advantage of Theo is that he is homegrown.. But if he is gonna act like a jerk, sell NOW. I wouldnt have cared less, had we kept hold of either Song or RvP..but now Theo has become important unfortunately…
Rumors going around of Theo to City and Dzeko to Arsenal.
Please make it happen. Please.
Dzeko would be awesome, Theo would be average for City.
Theo – same logic applies to you as the others – yer either with us or agin us…..
Hell, yeah. 😉
I would drive Theo to City if we get Dzeko 🙂
Dzeko?
Far from convinced he’s what we need.
Question guys – if Theo leaves that means we will need to buy 1 more English player right.. To balance the homegrown rule? Coz I think we have maxed out on the foreigners quota.
Not a good idea to ask me about homegrown Sajit… 😉
Another one who has been nursed through two shoulder surgeries, long term back injury, ankle knack, hamstring knack and for all I know, knick knack paddy whack.
So having won nothing and produced his best only in brief flashes, he presumably wants to be paid like a superstar.
Well Theo, we could do with a bit more Halley’s Comet and a bit less Black Hole.
Dzeko for Theo? Interesting…but isnt Dzeko kind of similar-ish player typewise to OliG? The real pureblood striker in to the box with rather clinical finish.
Also if Theo goes we lose one of the elements of our game and thats the pace on the wing. Yes there is AoC but it seemed to me that Arsene started to prepare him for more central role than deploying him as a winger…that leaves you with Gerv and Poldi with basically no back-up.
Dont get me wrong, I rate Dzeko superhigh, I remember he was killer of a striker here in czech league in Teplice before he went to Wolfsburg and he has ability to adapt very quickly, did so in Bundesliga and did in PL. Just kind of getting similar type of a player we already have and losing on quickest winger in Europe Id dare to say. (It would prolly turn out as good deal but I kinda have soft spot for Feo with all his inconsistency I have always been glad he plays for us and not against us)
Snir – That is one of those rumors that just seems too good to be true.
Sajit, it may have skipped your attention, but we have reserve and youth squads packed with homegrown players…
Oh, and the mighty Swindon Town are playing Stoke off the park at the Britannia. 0-2 after 51 mins…
So we patently need to buy a striker from Swindon then…..
James Collins, Swindon’s number nine. Got ’em both 😉
Have The Munsters got their full quota of inbreds out tonight Holic, or is it just their reserves playing.
knick knack paddy whack give the dog the phone 🙂
Hey Trev old buddy, hope all is well with you mate
Keyword there is reserves – holic.. Unless you want to promote them to first 11..which is essentially what Theo is.
Not bad, thanks GT. and your good self ?
That’s right Sajit, because we don’t have Gervinho, or Oxlade-Chamberlain, or Rosicky, or Cazorla who can play on the right. We’ll promote Gnabry and play him instead.
They have changed half the side from Sunday Trev, but brought in the likes of Upson, Whitehead, Jones, and Cameron.
1-2 now. Nailbiter.
Cheers Holic. Come on The Town. 😉
wow. pretty difficult to get through to you isnt it? .. 17 foreigners max.
Atm, we have more than that number at Arsenal, AND if we sell Theo,.. that essentially means that we cannot bring in any more foreign players without selling or loaning 1 more than we originally planned out to.
If the reports are correct Theo will be on his bike.
I am supremely relaxed about this as long as we recoup the money we originally spent and recruit a decent replacement.
Sajit, we have 17 including Squillaci, Park, Arshavin, and Chamakh who can be left out of the squad even if we cannot find takers for them by Friday.
Stop getting wound up about bollocks.
We don’t need to buy any homegrown players because we are loaded with them, one way or another.
Comprendez?
Sajit,
Who are you counting in your foreign list?
I think even if we can’t sell or loan players like squid, we don’t have to name him in our squad. Just call city and ask them how they do it.
Fabianski, Sagna, Santos, Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Koscielny, SQUILLACI!, Arteta, Diaby, Rosicky, Cazorla, PARK!, CHAMAKH!, Gervinho, Podolski, Giroud, ARSHAVIN!
Seventeen about to become any number from thirteen to fifteen I would imagine.
We already have eleven homegrown, so no promotion required, and five U-21’s in the squad.
Trev: Still on my Detox programme and Raw Food diet so no appetite for arguing with anyone about anything… but I wish someone would put Sajit straight about his narrow definitions of “foreign” vs “home-grown” …
@ Dr Zee: Heh “home-grown” 😎
oh..OK Guvnor. I see you did it thanks 🙂
gt, given your detox programme, i’d imagine you’re staying away from “home grown” for any number of reasons…:)
szcz
diaby
bac
per
tv
lk
rozza
arteta
poldi
santos
giroud
squillaci
cazorla
fabianski
arshavin
gervinho
chamakh
park
—
Im guessing park and squillaci wont be registered..so that leaves us with 2 spots left to fill for foreign players. BUT we were planning to get 2 players even WITH Theo in the squad. So if Theo leaves, his replacement cannot be a foreigner. Im not talking about a particular position.
I don’t know how I can put it in simpler terms.
Oh, you are not considering Arshavin and Chamakh.. Ah therein lies the disperancy..
I was assuming both were in Wenger’s plans..
Szczesny is homegrown…
Yes thanks holic. I must have been typing while you were posting the same thing. I am fine with pheo leaving. His speed is nice but he really has not developed any great tricks. Full speed ahead is not a trick. Gerv the swerv is frustrating too but he has a few tricks and speed.
If theo goes I think we need an additional winger though. We have other options out wide but I think a true winger would be nice. Someone who has an accurate cross. Something else that theo never developed.
Navas for me, barmen. No ice.
how about theo for affelay?
Stoke 2-3 Swindon end of first half of extra time 😀
Will Pulis run off the field with the same smug grin today? Shit manager, that one.
Damn Crouch!
I hope that the Happy Train is gassed up and ready to roll.
Have a nasty feeling I’m going to be needing a seat on it come midnight Friday.
Am getting the sense we did not learn all our lessons last summer.
Swindon 4-3 up 🙂
Late run into the box..
Poachers strike…..
Goal line clearance by GT – stops a certain goal and keeps his team in this game ..
😎
Felt guilty of posting twice in a row. Heh..Nice strike Steve T
Dzeko is on & 125k a week in City. Do you believe he is going to take a pay cut to join us?
Or that we could somehow pay those wages?
As for Affelay, I do not want him anywhere near Arsenal, we have players on that position much better than him, so overrated, imho.
Navas, and we are fine. Three Spanish paellas in the middle, just imagine. Add to that two of the finest English fish and chips, or jacks and chambs. Little bit of old Czech’s Tatarska Omačka for better taste. Served with two bottles of cold French Merlot. Take a slice of Welsh bara brith, if you’re still hungry.
Bon appetite.
Nice finish out nowhere Steve T.
Good job Swindon town. Stoke have harder time defending once they have to score.
Affalay is a good friend of RVP. Wonder if he will poison any move to us?
Get your poker face on Arsene. We need some movement in next 3 days.
Evenin’ all!
Fascinating transfer and contract newsies in the media and blogosphere!
The Chavs still attempting to buy a whole new United-Nations Squad of Foreigners, with no regard for the upcoming FFP and “home-grown” player restrictions!
Judas to be without Shrek for 2 months!
And fcuking hope that Walcott’s contract rejection’s a truth-hood! Get-rid to whoever and bring in Navas and Cabaye, Le Boss! 😎
Bring on the end of silly-season and COYBG!
Nice try Steve T but GT’s emBouldened defence’s irresistible this term! 😎
@ Lurky: Agree with you about Affelay – can’t see the facination with him at all..
As for he rest of your post: Paellas & fish & chips and that other stuff added are the ingredients of Pig’s Swill … what are you suggesting mate ?
🙂
Hey Dapper Dan 🙂
LO @303,
Buuurrrpp! Lovely Jubbly! 🙂
A night-cap to all remnants! Bon nuit!
Well done Swindon!
Dembele to Sp*rs confirmed. Not that Arsenal needed him.. but still it sucks.
Whassup GT! Don’t let Ayrton Santos anywhere near your GrandTouring motor! 🙂
Bad news that, Sajit. £15million for Dembele. Good player. Shame he went there, but that only means that VDV is off to Shalke.
GT @301. Good, if somewhat deluded, effort. 😉
Excuse me for praising Dembele yesterday. I never said it.
Evening all.
Some interesting debates raging on. Firstly the centre back pairing. I am with Zico in the fact that we now have 3 quality centre backs that can play together. As we have seen previously there is absolutely no chance that 2 will stay fit all season. There will also be the loss of form issues as well. My feeling is play those in form. I think it would be wrong to drop Per after 2 clean sheets. I also think that AW will not be too afraid to “rest” TV should the need arise.
As for Theo I agree with Trev. You would have thought after all he had been through and all the support that the club had given him that he would have shown a tad more loyalty. Or is it the fact that he actually realises his days may well be numbered anyway? AOC seems to have a lot more now than Theo already. Surely it is only a matter of time? “A bit more Halley’s comet and a bit let black hole.” Love it .
😉
If we could a deal that swaps Theo for Dzeko I would consider that great business. Must say I can’t see it happening sadly.
Steve T,
Yes it was 2 clean sheets. But against physical teams that like to score from set pieces. Liverpool and specifically Suarez offers a different challenge and I think Kos deals better with this particular challenge. I understand that you don’t want to mess with the chemistry that got you 2 clean sheets but I also think you need to look at the opposition and pick personnel that will match up best.
Bah, what I say doesn’t matter. I just hope whoever is picked plays well and picks up another clean sheet.
I think Arshavin is ours this year. Probably chamakh too. I hope one of the 2 is sold but not sure there is enough interest. Bah.
I do not understand what we are doing with Chamakh. We got him on a free. Just give him away of it gets him of the wage bill. I still think that AA can play a part if he gets his head sorted.
I hear wht you say Nor but I am more than happy that TV and Per cab handle Suarez, and will be better equiped to del awith Carrol if the need arises.
Deal with even…………
So Theo is off now?
Goodbye Arsenal it was nice knowing you, but you really stopped being Arsenal in 2006. It just too me six years to stop caring.
Anybody want to buy a replica shirt collection?
Just read some of the article on Theo and I must say I am a little perplexed. We appear to have waited until 3 days before the end of the transfer window to get to this stage with a player who is 23 and into the final year of his contract. He has been offered by all accounts 75k a week. Now you would hope that at 23 and considering how he has played that he would be quite happy with that? But add agents into the mix and it all gets a tad complicated. Or does it? I guess that Theo will argue that he is a regular in the England squad and a regular performer. In this day and age 75k a week will probably make him one of the lowest paid players in the squad. He will certainly be on a lot less than his midfield/striker colleagues. Now I am more than aware that we will never compete with the petro dollars brigade but I must say I will be pretty pissed off if he leaves. Not just because of losing the player but for the fact that we continue to be losing our first choice players to our direct competitors.
None of us know what goes on behind closed doors but Theo is clearly in AW’s plans. That being the case how do we really have to accept that we are just never going to be able to compete with certain sides financially?
No one of course knows what will happen with Theo, but I am a tad cheesed off that we seem to become a shop window for the talent we continue to develop. I look at the players we have sold over the last 4/5 years and where they have ended up and I am starting to wonder if it is all about balancing the books rather than what happened on the pitch?
Who knows, Theo could sign a new deal tomorrow, spend the whole season being as equally frustrating as ever and we will all be saying, “why on earth did we not sell him?”
It’s a funny old game.
We haven’t developed Theo Walcott a jot, in fairness. He is the same mercurial, inconsistent, capable of flashes of genius, player he was at 17 when he was scoring from near the touchline at Southampton.
As others have said above, Theo Walcott is 23 years of age.
If he were really that good he would, by now, be affecting games far more than he is.
Against Sunderland, ten days ago, he started the game on the right wing and, for about 20 minutes, looked quite promising. There were signs that he was being more thoughtful with the ball and his pace looked threatening.
He then swapped wings with Gervinho, presumably to confuse the opposition, but instead seemed to confuse himself right out of the game.
In the second half I can’t remember him making one telling contribution.
He has said, as has Arsene, that he sees himself as a central striker. He has been played out wide for such a long time, to learn how to beat a defender in a one-on-one.
It is a task that, apart from the use of pure speed, has so far proved beyond him.
Aside from his lack of a trick to go past defenders, he also lacks the physical strength to withstand the challenges of the average Premier League centre back, were he to play through the middle.
For England he has, as for Arsenal, been promising in patches.
Not always of his own making, he has otherwise too often been ineffective.
And so now he wants to become one of the highest paid players in the club, in part presumably, to reflect his England squad status.
One of the problems Arsenal currently face in reshaping the squad, is that there are too many players on too-high salaries, who have won nothing and not generally done enough to be promoted onto such huge earnings. Consequently, these players cannot be moved on.
The minute the club attempts to rebalance the wage structure by not over rewarding those who are yet to really achieve, some supporters are up in arms at the lack of ambition to hold on to them.
If we saved some of our resources for our more proven, or best, players, maybe we would be more successful at hanging onto them instead.
As Zico said, for some folks, whatever the club does will be wrong.
But seriously, is Theo Walcott worth more than £75,000 PER WEEK, that’s more than £10,000 PER DAY, for what he currently contributes?
If, indeed, that is what he has been offered.
Is he really that good, or are people getting upset at the thought of him leaving, because he is supposed to be that good ?
It’s much too late, ‘Night all.
Walcott is definitely not worth a penny more than 75k per week. His only USP is that he is English..If he were from any other country nobody would have batted an eyelid if he had left.
If Diaby is getting his reported £80k a week, Walcott is worth more than £75k
If we’re overpaying rubbish like Bendtner, and the fact that we appear unable to shift the likes of him, Chamakh and even Denilson suggests we’re paying them fairly enormous wages, a first team regular and England international is worth every penny and more of £75k
Unfortunately the market rate is the market rate and we either have to wake up and pay it or keep losing players, standing still or going backwards in the process.
If theo is the last of the malcontents who thinks they deserve 100k plus a week then I will not miss him. If he completes the clear out of players who thinks they are bigger than the club, than again I am happy to see him go. However, if this is where we continue to see ourselves every summer than we will struggle to stay in the top four. If we sell on our players and only replace at a minimum then we will never improve our standing and one year soon we will drop out. You only have to look at Liverpool to see what happens if you try and tread water and not improve. The league will pass you by and it will be that much harder, and expensive to get back up.
What I don’t understand is if we are to continue to attract fans and get top dollar, ( sorry) top pound ,from our sponsors then this needs to be the end of the revolving door. People will support the club, but if you have to put new faces on the club each year then people and sponsors will lose interest. Are we going to only sell shirts with “Wenger” on the back?
Also, sponsors pay more and are more attracted to winners. The next 2 years it is important that we show our intent to win something. We can say we showed great spirt and think we can win something only so many years. At some point we really have to bring it home.Otherwise our sponsorship dollars will not be maximized. Surely the owners and board members understand this obvious maxim of business.
If theo is to go and we pocket the money then we really have given up. It’s not theo or robin or Alex or cecs or Nasri or…. It is Arsenal. It’s Arsenal who as a business and a club that have given up the true will to compete at the top.
Rant over
“…. It is Arsenal. It’s Arsenal who as a business and a club that have given up the true will to compete at the top.”
sorry, norcal, but hardly. it’s a half billion pound business proposition. pocketing theo money, *if* he indeed leaves is not an indication of “giving up”. it may not be ideal, but we’ve got three in of quality this summer, we have some of our more dedicated players on long-term contracts, the youth coming through the pipeline are excellent, and we are avoiding things like expensive deals for sahins on loan only. groundhog day? maybe. but it’s certainly unreasonable to say arsenal as a club have given up the “true will to compete at the top”.
lurky oliva — Nevus is never gonna happen. He is notoriously homesick, apparently even when in Spain, and has anxiety attacks. Unless Arsene finds a miracle worker of an analyst, Nevus is not going to leave Spain.
NorCalArsenal — I think the noble experiment of a relatively egalitarian wage structure has failed, Arsene and the board realizes that (let us please give their intelligence some credit) and they realize the obvious points you are making. Evidently there is now a strategy to be more aggressive in wage policy — Arsene himself acknowledged that in an interview — but it would take a while to retune the system without suffering significant losses. And even then, at the end of the day, Arsenal still cannot play silly salaries like the nouveau riches and the ones who pretend to be reach by living way beyond their means.
And then there is a question of how much does one really deserve and to what extent are you willing the club to be held hostage by otherwise mediocre talents? I like Theo a lot and unlike many Arsenal supporters I actually think his game has improved considerably — the defensive discipline, the ability to finish, final ball — but still he has many miles to go to become a really top class player.
He was used, despite his limitations, to a considerable degree of effectiveness by Arsene in certain matches against certain opposition and much of that depended on how Arsenal sets up to play. The patience and support of the team and the supporters for Theo have also been exceptional. It is Theo who has much more to lose to move away from the Emirates — go to a star-studded team like Man City and spend time mostly on bench as someone more skillful like Adam Johnson couldn’t break in — or go to a team like Liverpool and lose out on CL, and maybe even playing time because sure no other manager would be as patient. If Theo wants to make a very questionable career move at this extremely important age — couple of years in relative wilderness and he would be forgotten — for a temporary rise in his bank balance then I wish him good luck.
If we can survive the loss of Henry and Cesc, we can survive the loss of Theo.
Well, I sure seem to have read quite a few comments from a certain individual who has admittedly given up on supporting Arsenal (and stopped caring).
I just want to point out a couple of many the false syllogisms being propagated lo these past three weeks of the transfer window.
(1) Always selling our best players shows our lack of ambition. For starters, I’d say (on-pitch performance notwithstanding, if a player is homesick, convinced by his Mr. 15% that he is underpaid, or just wants to ship off, then such player by definition cannot be our best player. Secondly, everyone needs to realize that the players hold all the cards and you can’t force a player to sign a contract extension or even stay the last year of his contract. Examples? Flamini, Hleb, Adebayor, Tevez, Modric, (unfortunately) Dempsey (come on, son, you seriously need better advisors – this is no way for a Texan to behave), that Spanish Bloke, that Dutch Bloke…
I think we have suffered from a poisonous locker room for about 4 years now, and we are just now nearing the end of it (I hope). For all the persnickety “experts” who are going on about how poor Arsenal have managed things, just what is your alternative solution? And don’t give me the lame cop-out of “I would have had so-and-so sign earlier.” No shite Sherlock.
Perhaps the “real” experiment was not on youth, rather it was an attempt to make forego a compensation “meritocracy.” Back when money was even tighter (three or four years ago – the truth of our dire financial straits will one day be revealed), AW decided, not only could Arsenal not compete with the obscenely nouveau riche, but the team would try to harmonize player salaries (I suppose to avoid jealousy amongst players). Well, not being in AW’s circumstances, I cannot judge his motivations, but I think in retrospect that was the policy that failed. Now we have to see out the contracts of not-quite-good-enough players because other teams are put-off by the salaries. The team will have to deal with this strategic straightjacket much as the US economy has to work its way through consumer debt and toxic equities.
Bottom line, this in no mark on the team’s ambition. If we don’t have the cash to pay, we don’t have the cash to pay. There is no magic wand to make players stay and play for us (What if we kept the Dutch bloke for the last year of his contract? Given just how mercurial we are finding him to be, how many of you can hold your hand up and say that he would NOT have been a divisive locker room influence. What about Sing-a-Song? And now we can add Fee-O.) If a player wants out, unfortunately, the team has to find a way to cut bait. Now going forward is the question.
(2) If we pocket the earnings on player sales, the team shows no ambition. Firstly, who is to say the club won’t spend these “earnings” in future transfer windows. The LAST thing the club should do is follow the spuds’ lead and OVERPAY for a decent player like Dembele (£15 mil is a bit of a reach in my estimation – thought I read somewhere that the total bill will be £23 mil – for Dembele, really?). I’m sure he’s a nice player, but he’s no world-beater.
Secondly, I’m pretty sure Arsenal shares do not pay a dividend. If that is the case then, apart from time dilution (minimal risk) and alternate-expense appropriation (spending the “war chest” on daily operations; more significant risk), any funds from transfers will still be available in the future.
I’ve been at this a bit, so I wind up for any folks still reading this…Players hold the aces, and the club might have to eat some bad contracts for another year or so. I don’t buy this nonsense that we have no ambition, just because we neither give in to the inane desire to fund trophies through deficit spending, nor will we allow ourselves to be held hostage to player delusions.
If you don’t want to play for the shirt, feck off. We’re a classy, pricipled club, whose brightest days are ahead. And if you’re a “supporter” who can’t see that, perhaps you should kindly find another organization to kvetch over.
BMBD
Great Post Lonestar.
“Perhaps the “real” experiment was not on youth, rather it was an attempt to make forego a compensation “meritocracy.” Back when money was even tighter (three or four years ago – the truth of our dire financial straits will one day be revealed), AW decided, not only could Arsenal not compete with the obscenely nouveau riche, but the team would try to harmonize player salaries (I suppose to avoid jealousy amongst players).” — agree absolutely. Alluded to that in my previous post.
” I don’t buy this nonsense that we have no ambition, just because we neither give in to the inane desire to fund trophies through deficit spending, nor will we allow ourselves to be held hostage to player delusions.”
I think five or ten years from now this particular period in Arsenal’s history would be looked back in admiration and today’s naysayers would fall over each other in their race to arrive first at the ‘I told you so’ gate.
Cheers, Dr. F –
I noted your similar points after my rant was posted. Care for a whiskey?
BMBD.
Ok. I took a deep breath. Like I said it was a rant. For the record it has nothing to do with theo or robin or anyone. I support Arsenal and have for years. I am frustrated with the constant turn over. Like I said, if this clear out is to cleanse the team and make us a more harmonious group of players the I get it. My saying ” if they just pocket the money” ,is a reflection on my frustration with the team to not take that extra step and maybe spend just a little of our cash on hand to improve on last year. Our net spend on transfers is basically zero right now. Add Theo and maybe Nicky B and whoever to the mix and we again have made a profit in the transfer market. I have backed our financial policy through thick and thin and agree we cannot just spend money without being prudent. My last statement about giving up the will to compete at the top was a bit rash and I agree may be a bit short sited but I am frustrated with this revolving door. I don’t pretend to know the ins and outs of the club business. I will continue to support the team as we move forward and hopefully upward.
Glad my new kit says ” Arteta” on it.
That was impeccable Lonestar. I’d rather my club not win another shiny pot than end up like Leeds and Rangers.
If Theo is the last of the malcontents, then get rid fast and move on. I’ll surely not shed a tear and neither will I bugger off to support another team that’s winning the “shiny pots”.
To all the players and so called supporters who are ready to jump ship, I say “Bye Bye”. We’ll still be here next year and the year after and after that. You won’t be missed.
Gunners for Life. Believe that!
Well said my Impeccable bredren. Its Le Boss that’s given this generation of players this unshakable belief in themselves. They were supposed to be the Golden Generation but they fell short and now what we are witnessing is the messy reworking of the dream. The boss seems to have learned his lesson when he lost Cesc. His heart was broken then – it can’t be broken again. He will do what is necessary. We just have to trust him..
🙂
I would like Theo to stay. But if he’s really in a hurry to leave just for a better paycheck and become a non-entity he can leave.
It would be a shame if we really did lose him at this age though…
For older players, I can understand a money move but at his age, he should be very wary of becoming the next Michael Owen.
Nuff respect GoonerT.
Cheers Impec!
I’m glad some of my real dawgs have come out to the bar tonight…
Laters all…
BMBD.
Doctor Faustus: Stand up Sir!
Doctor Lonestar: Stand Up Sir!
Doctor Trev: Stand up Sir!
Doctor Scruz: Stand up Sir!
* I lift my glass in recognition of Gooners among Gooners *
cheers, gt. and norcal, i understand the frustration, but to lonestar’s (1) and (2) above…bravo, tex. agree with all of it, and dr.f, impec, next drinks for all on me.
i am a happy gooner, because i think the club is excellent, and I like what has happened this summer…£40 million for two malcontents? if we dont find anyone in the next 3 days, let’s see who shakes out in january! until then, let’s get behind the boys (down, wolfiekins), go arsenal!
Morning ‘holics across the way!
Interesting overnight discussions on wages, player loyalty and egalitarianism!
GT @the three 3’s,
I agree with your take! Arsene and AFC have now regained their financial initiative and ability to tell ANY player to “put up or fcuk-off” if need be! This is the only way forward for our self-sustainability model to be highly successful in the near future; and the fact that players of the proven quality of Cazorla, Podolski, Giroud, Merteseker and Arteta chose to come to Arsenal over another club can’t just be because of wages!
This current tactic has always been the only way that this constantly and perrennially encouraged bullshit and self-deluded mantra of “the player holds all of the cards” spouted by all those who benefit financially and excessively from football, and are highly short-sighted, can be overcome!
Football is a team game composed of 11 players and a squad! One overpaid “great player” does not make a consistently winning team and a side full of greatly overpaid players is unsustainable and tenuously successful! Many examples from the past and recent history should have already alluded to that!
I’m fully behind you Le Prof, so, continuer Monsieur!
Lonestar,
*applause*
However, remember, there is only one Dr F. 😉
Losing Walcott wouldn’t be much of a blow – we already have a replacement at the club.
However, the timing of this latest announcement suggests something of a lack of planning.
Why was Miyachi loaned out of we weren’t sure of keeping Theo? Why sell Alex Song (three years left on his contract) if we weren’t sure of keeping Theo?
We could have hung onto Song another year and reduced the number of first team departures for the time being. At his age his value would only have increased. I’m fairly sure the reason we didn’t is because Song made it clear he would either go now or raise hell – Cesc’s legacy appears to be that players now know they can tantrum their way out of the club.
I have full faith in Arsene, I like the players we have bought this summer and I think the squad looks decent, but all of the above, coupled with our failure to shift on the likes of NB52 and AA, leads me to conclude that Ivan and his team are not pulling their weight, and that the lessons of last summer have not really been learned.
I dearly hope that we are able to shift on Theo and one or two others in the next, what, 65 hours, and bring in replacements, but I am not overly optimistic at this stage.
Fully behind the team and the manager, but one or two behind the scenes need a clip round the ear.
A little fact gleaned from 7AMKickoff:
**Did you know that Djourou and Giroud are homonphones? ..
Really?! Well I knew that Giroud posed for that Gay Magazine but I had no idea about Djourou. Who wudda thunk it?
Night all – see you later Dapper Dan 🙂
You know agents are snakes, and snakes eat mice.
I find that kind of apt…..
Heh, not sure of their after-dark activities but I’m pretty sure the names sound like JU-ROO and JE-ROO so not really homophones. 😉
Ollie of course will be able to shed light on this I think!
@343: Zico, they’re also guarding all the doors and holding all the keys, which means that sooner or later one of us is going to have to fight them.
But where others have failed, Arsenal will succeed because their power comes from a system built on greed.
When we’re ready, we won’t need to worry about the financial bullet. 8)
Nonny, if you stop caring about the Arsenal just because a couple of players (one of which I am quite sure you have deemed not good enough for the club) have left or are possibly about to leave then you never properly cared for the club at all. If so, all you wanted was to bask in the glory of others.
“If Diaby is getting his reported £80k a week”
Oh, so it’s up to £80K now? It used to be £60K that was used as a stick to beat him with about a year ago. Guess the inflation in England is quite huge.
…and all of what Lonestar said @328. Great post mate, have a very large drink on my tab.
Morning
342 & 344.
Worse than that indee because one is Djooroo, the other Jiroo (sorry can’t be arsed looking into the international phonetics alphabet).
Yeah, they are ‘homophones’ for people who can’t pronounce their names. Jaysus……
As for the rest of the drinks, too many long posts so I have up.
Fuck ungrateful greedy cunts, we are The Arsenal. If they don’t like the club, they’re welcome to go.
COR @344 , one of the (many) things I still have probs with is the ‘I’ sound as in JeeeRoo
All I can say is bye bye Theo, but once again I wonder if there are a number of contributing factors in his imminent departure
– who decides the pay structure (AW and or IG) which has caused concern in certain players
– equal pay breeds discontent when AW says I’ want you to stay but no pay rise,’ and there is a nasty little git of an agent saying ‘I can get you more elsewhere’
– players getting fed up with being played out of position to suit AW and being benched every other week (Theo will find that wherever he goes)
Re the defence for this weekend, how about Kos coming in as DM to mark Suarez, with Per and TV behind. This could release Arteta to come forward
Chezzer
Jenks, Per, TV, Gibbs
Ox, Kos, Arteta, Caz
Pod, Jeeer
cognac, that sound seems a bit difficult for some.
I had to ‘teach’ arseblogger after the first arsecast of the season, hence the rather extravagant but overall more correct pronounciation he adopted in the second arsecast 😀
But perhaps 7am kick-off used the first arsecast as their reference 😉
Good blog from mr arseblogger again today, by the way.
Nuri Sahin reckons he’s ready for us this Sunday.
It will be one of the closest moments that he will get to playing amongst a team in the Champions League this season.
Apparently Walcott does not want to extend his contract.
Obviously Wenger will tell us we have the Ox and that Cazorla can play on the right etc, but the issue with us is depth in this respect.
I doubt we will get this Jesus bloke, but if we could seal a deal for him and M’Villa I will be happy selling Walcott and playing Nuri Sahin on Sunday, otherwise I wil expect a goal from Giroud!
Keep the faith Gooners!
Morning. A few quick points as I sit on the train.
It’s intetesting reading those who think Theo will be no loss etc and then say trust AW. Remember, AW has just offered him a new 5 year contract so it would appear that he wants him to stay.
I also again agree with Trev above again. We have far to many average players on big money. It’s something I have said for some time now.
Is that Theo wants to be the main striker for Arsenal and is tired of being on the wing?
Is it*
Anyway, I felt a bit sad that Lansbury couldn’t make it with us.
Best of luck to him at Forest.
Lars – I’ve been “not caring” for 43 years now but just about had enough now, and no I’m not particularly bothered about Song. What does bother me is we have players at this club who AKBs (sorry but there’s no other way of putting it) adore when they’ve done bugger all, like Frimpong, who is a Twitter account in an Arsenal kit, or Diaby who has done nothing but is hailed every summer as “like a new signing” before he goes in the fetlock again. But we continue to let players who have produced the goods to some degree walk and that’s ok by the supposed fans of this club because they’re willing to believe ITKs who use “inside knowledge” to drop “information” into the public domain about how players are behaving.
Interestingly the £80k a week information came from someone VERY well connected at the club, but because it doesn’t reflect well on the financial management of the place, and it’s a figure that has been around for a while now and posted in various places incidentally, it gets sniffed at as lies. Interesting that NONE of the usual ITKs ever has a bad word to say about negotiations when it concerns the club, it’s always agents, players and greed. Never the club stalling, never the club behaving unprofessionally by dragging its feet, despite the incompetent way Dick Law handled the Joel Campbell deal, widely reported by proper press reporters and not just an ITK fan, and the interminable amount of time we usually take to do transfers. Such as having Sahin literally with pen in hand for a couple of weeks before blowing cold air all over him.
When it comes to players leaving, the club is never at fault is it. It’s never the case, because it cannot possibly be so, that the reason they leave is they get frustrated by lack of success and see a board and manager who really don’t care that much, that their career is going down the toilet in order to play games with “project youth”. I don’t think van Persie would have left if the manager had shown him some ambition, but in my opinion the signing of Podolski would have been it, if Robin had decided to stay, and van Persie knew that and knew it wasn’t enough, so he told him to do one (in more diplomatic language obviously). As a result we got Girou (wow, the quality) and waited for someone to come up with enough money to wipe out our spend and give us a small profit.
Then Cazorla came up but it was too late for Robin to stay. He had to go to balance the books, and Song was sold to take care of the Cazorla outlay. A few loyal ITKs and press men get planted a story that they run with, and it fits a few fans views of Song, including mine, that he’s grown a bit big for his boots.
And now Theo. We get fed, from the loyal ITKs, drips of stories that he is asking for too much money, has developed a bad attitude throughout the summer, when nothing he has ever done or said throughout his time at Arsenal suggests anything of the sort regarding his attitude, and that his team are being difficult and have repeatedly walked away from negotiations. Then we read in the press that it’s actually the case that serious talks post-Euros only took place last week and, like Ashley Cole before him, Theo has been a take it or leave it final offer and two days to decide. Great.
I’m completely disillusioned by this club both on and off the pitch and I’m not stupid enough to believe planted stories, from either side, about what’s really going on, but there’s a steady flow of good players out of this club that suggests the core of the place is rotten. If you truly believe that every player we should have kept over the last few years went because they had a terrible attitude, got greedy or were just cunts then you’re a bit gullible. Not just you but everyone who really believes that it’s always down to the players and there’s nothing wrong at the heart of this once great club.
Funny how we manage to hold on to some players with dreadful attitudes though isn’t it? The likes of Bendtner, who really does have a terrible attitude, or Chamakh whose on pitch attitude is a disgrace, or Arshavin who can’t be bothered to train properly and a player who showed exactly where his head is at early on when he moaned he was paying too much tax. Keep them, and you still see fans who think all three are worth keeping despite their flaws, but keep getting rid of the van Persies and Walcotts and even Cescs, who I think would have stayed if we’d had a better team and were winning things, even despite Barcelona’s interest, eh? Marvellous, that.
Considering the number of stories also planted by Dein and chums in the press, your view seems rather blinkered to me…
@356: Why don’t you go back to the ACLF forum if you want to rant?
@ 356 ANM
I don’t think you can slate “AKBs” for assuming that the fault is with the players and then proceed to assume the fault is with the club/manager.
The fact is that no-one outside the club/departed players knows what’s really gone on with half these departures.
If you take a look, I reckon you’ll find plenty of voices on this very page questioning how the club have handled this (and last) summer. No one is overjoyed with it.
But throwing your hands in the air, proclaiming that you give up on the team, seems a bit dramatic.
The reality is that we are in an environment where, through no fault of our own, there are a couple of other teams who can offer three or four times what we can in wages. That has had an effect.
Could we have mitigated the damage and handled a few things better? God yes. Does that mean that the manager and the board are to blame for absolutely everything? Of course not.
No-one is asking for blind devotion to the Arsenal establishment. But a sense of proportion would be nice.
My main gripe is players thinking they are not also accountable for the results of the club.
There’s a lot of deadwood to get rid of still, but I think this summer has seen a rather ‘positive’ shift both in terms of signings and also openly acknowledging we want rid of some players (obviously not talking Song or Feo there, but Bendtner/Park/Squillaci).
The trouble is indeed they were given too good deals that they didn’t deserve so are hard to shift.
RvP’s story is murkier with the whole Dein/Usmanov thing. I hope one day the alleged ‘demands’ come in the open….
A lot of sense, N7.
I’m sure Lars will be happy to open his tab for you.
Fair play Nonny for taking the time to explain the reasoning behind his viewpoint, knowing full well it would be unpopular with some. That is the way forward. You can debate with and challenge someone able to express themselves so.
…without it getting personal.
Nonny, as others have alread said you do seem to choose to belive only the stories that paint the club/Wenger in a bad light. And no, I do not believe we do everything right, but I do believe the club does a hell of a lot more right than wrong. If things have been as bad as some will have it, we’d have been out of the top four a long, long time ago.
And yes Ollie, N7 can drink on my tab 🙂
That’s right there’s no need to get personal guys
‘Night GT! 😎
@358 – Sorry I thought this was a place where adults could discuss things, I guess I should go before I’m invited to go to Stamford Bridge, which is usually the first retort aimed at people who don’t think everything is hunky dory.
Enjoy your season, if you can see through those rose tinted glasses that is.
ANM –
Interesting as mooted above.
I would add to your post that the ITK reporters told us Theo, Song and RVP would all leave this year, last year.
So where does that info come from?
I don’t know the answer and I’m sure you don’t either.
I don’t know who said it, but we should get behind what we have and concentrate on what goes on, on the pitch, more than we do off if it.
(myself included)
I guess now isn’t a good time to mention the Usmanov and ‘rights issue’ it it?
Before people (you know who you are) get their knickers in a twist that was meant tongue-in-cheek….
Greetings Holics
However we feel about Theo’s performances on the field and I posted many moons ago that I didn’t think he would make it at AFC, he has been portrayed as the clean-cut young hero to many young football fans and has been thoroughly spoilt by the club and in the media.
Another high profile departure is not good for the Club’s image but I doubt if many of us will be shedding tears if he doesn’t change his mind, his loss will not impact on our season IMHO. I doubt if another high profile club would be so forgiving of Theo’s frailties and he would find himself as no more than a bench-warmer. After all what happens to him when he loses his pace, injuries and age catch up with you in time.
I’ve been journeying up from Norfolk for the last 53 years to see the Arsenal and have been a Gooner since 1952, so have seen us in good times and bad. I for one will be travelling to the Ems until I can’t put one foot in front of the other, that is what loyal, committed fans do. I fully admit that I am in the AKB camp but no one has convinced me that there is a better way forward.
Let’s hope our man comes up with a couple of gems before 11pm Friday and we find new homes for those surplus to requirements.
As always COYRs.
Strauss waltzes away from cricket.
Mr Mouse,
Given that you believe the club is rotten to the core, can you advise how you think it can be fixed?
@369 lovely to hear from real fans.
regarding theo, lets be honest, we all just want to get a lot of money and get a good player in. But its the getting a replacement in thats worrying to me.
does the club want to strengthen? will they go all out to replace missing players. the doubter in me says no.
why not buy replacement players and then offload the likes of Song and Theo. whats the big idea in strengthening other teams at the cost of ours.
Its this half assed approach that pisses me off so much. If theo is the last of the unhappy ones at the club then I say good riddance.
C’mon you Reds!
I can honestly say I am a
NITK
About everything! 😐
Delia: “I fully admit that I am in the AKB camp but no one has convinced me that there is a better way forward.”
That is true for me too. It is my firm belief that not a single one of us writing stuff on blogs, in comments or newpapers know more than Arsene Wenger about what needs to be done. We are after all talking about a man who has built teams that have won doubles and gone a season unbeaten. That 49-game unbeaten run will most likely stand for a long, long, long time. But what many fail to understand is that the goalposts have moved, we simply don’t have the resources to compete with Man City, Man U and Chelsea. We can beat one or maybe at best two of them in any given season but not all three. We have to struggle along until the new commercial deals that are being worked on bring some fruit.
Does Arsene get everything right? Of course not. Nobody does. In hindsight, to take one example, he should not have played Wilshere so much that season (but then again if he hadn’t he would have been slaughtered by many for not playing one of our best players – much like he copped a lot of flak for not playing the Ox more last season despite referencing Wilshere as a lesson learned about overplaying young players) and I think he has shown too much faith in Diaby ever being fit enough to play more than occasionally. But then again many wanted RvP kicked out years ago and I’ll bet you most of them are now the ones to scream the loudest about us “letting him go”. It’s easy to be an expert when you’ve got the benefit of hindsight, but Arsene does not have that luxury. He has to predict the future, not just read about the past.
I also think this wage restructuring business is, while neccessary and something the club is working on adressing, one of those things that have been blown out of proportion. While we can and must allocate the money in the wages chest differently, it won’t make the contents of the chest any larger. Under current circumstances, we simply can not afford to pay the wages that players like Aguero, Tevez, Hazard and others command if we still want to be able to have more than one player in each position.
Maybe the team will bomb this year, maybe not. But I will not sit here in May or whenever and be an expert in hindsight. I belive that this team can finish in the top four which WOULD be something to be proud of in my eyes, and if I am wrong and we don’t qualify for the CL then I was wrong. There really is nothing more to it than that.
Drinks all round (even for those who disagree with me!) and COME ON ARSENAL!
Check Lars and his sensible head.
Whilst we are very fond of your plastic, I’m afraid you’ll never make it to the Executive level in the Feelgood Foundation – rational thinking is strictly discouraged.
Don`t we have a pair of cover in Gervinho and Arshavin for the first choice Podolski and Chamberlain? The situation is not as bad as it might seem.
The only tiny little regret that I have is the sending of Ryo away this year.
With The-o gone, he along with Gnabry would get a hatful of games in the domestic cups and perhaps more if we consider injuries.
I saw the League Cup tie of Forest vs Wigan last night. He only got to play for the last ten minutes, time enough to set up the fourth goal.
Didn’t want any lunch today, anyway 🙁 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>