The Thin Red Line Does Us Proud
Aug 21st, 2013 by 'holic
After the difficulty of what tone to hit after Saturday it is a pleasure to have a much easier blog to write tonight. As stated in the preview, “we can still put out an eleven who could beat anybody on their day”. For that to remain the case we have to hope that rumours of a fractured skull for Laurent Koscielny are exaggerated.
The win tonight doesn’t alter the fact that the squad remains paper thin for a long hard season, but once again Arsene Wenger was quick to say in his post match interview that he expects much to happen in the ten days (actually to satisfy the pedants it is twelve!) that remain of the transfer window. He knows it has to.
In Istanbul Arsenal started brightly and slowly improved. Yes, Fener looked lightweight, but our performance enhanced their poorness, if that is a word? The key lay in the midfield. I read beforehand that Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere cannot play together. Behind Tomas Rosicky they provided balance, energy, and the early pressing game seemed to dishearten the hosts. In the opening half, however, that final ball was just a fraction out. With the game scoreless at the whistle I don’t mind admitting concern that we might regret not grabbing the away goal such a start had deserved.
The half was made all the more worrying by the injury to Kos, brave as ever in putting his head in the path of Webo’s flailing boot. However much Arsene sings the praises of Bacary Sagna as a stand-in we are an injury away from Aaron Ramsey making a second appearance of the season in the middle of the back four. May I suggest our transfer priority may have shifted a little this evening?
Enough of the practical, or as some of you would say, the dooming! The second-half saw us convert our superiority on the night into the goals we richly deserved. The first arrived when Rambo and Theo contrived to set up Kieran Gibbs at the back stick. The left back doesn’t score many, but he was given greater freedom by the selection of Santi Cazorla ahead of him. The little Spaniard prefers to do his best work with dancing feet outside the box. Gibbo seemed to enjoy getting beyond his diminutive colleague when required.
Just past the hour the tie was effectively put to bed when the outstanding Ramsey saw his long range drive parried over the line by the Fener ‘keeper, Demirel. Aaron faces a huge season, particularly if and when reinforcements arrive, but he has shown in pre-season, and confirmed tonight, that he is back to his influential best. Whisper it softly, but the Shawcrossing seems to have been overcome.
That left time for Theo to win a penalty that was converted superbly by Olivier Giroud. A couple of talking points here. If that penalty had been awarded against us I suspect there would have been some dissent in the ranks. In the modern game there was no argument. Theo got across the front of his man, slowed down, and hit the deck when the inevitable contact arrived. Perhaps I am being unfair?
Secondly the stick that was dished out to Giroud in places tonight was harsh in the extreme. He had precious little aimed in his direction tonight, but took the central defenders walkies throughout. He has goals aplenty pre-season, and two in two competitively already. Fair play Olivier.
The aftermath has been interesting. Paul Merson took some pelters for suggesting that Fener “Ain’t Fulham or Tottenham”. If you don’t understand the point he was making then that says more about you than him. He is not my cup of tea these days, but we all know Fulham will give us a sterner test on Saturday than we got tonight. We all know that whilst this team has the capacity to delight when they are all available, we need an injection of fresh blood desperately.
That is for another day. Tonight we can celebrate all but confirming a sixteenth consecutive Champions League campaign. Not every London club will be playing their European games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, assuming of course that they get through the qualifying round.
386 Responses to “The Thin Red Line Does Us Proud”
Ave it.
Next.
CL spot?
Well done the footie boys, great result….now the transfer team need to get going.
Nice result.
Clean sheet.
Ramsey playing out of his skin.
Crisis? What crisis?
Pot noodle for me and Snowy, barkeep. 8)
No Turkish Delight?
Found your Fez for the NLD?
Well written, ‘holic. Every word. Theo didn’t buy the penalty as much as the defender barged into him, from behind.
Now the big signings the fans have been crying out for will start to arrive!
Benzema? Ill take that for a start
Keep the faith Gooners
Only knocking three past that shower of shit was a disgrace.
Wenger out.
π
Seriously, thought AW should have put Gnabry and Frimpong on for Jack and Santi at 0 – 2, save them for saturday, both are a yard short just now.
Other than that, job done. Fuck you Hansen.
Top post sir- agree wth every word.
Who amongst us will not be cheered by an away win?
It doesnt change a summer of mismanagement though does it?
And lets be clear – critisism of our strength is enrirely subjective.
No one is claiming that Arsenal are not an excellent side – they are.
The point is, we could be better, and we had ninety days to do it,in time for the season opener. We are, as I said, a fine side – so are the teams that finisned above us though.
How will be bridge the gap?
It may sound churlish to raise the issue of the summer of inactivity on the back of such a resounding win, but am I alone in feeling that critisism of AW’s policy will only serve to further entrench his stance?
I hope not.
Great win though, and feeling bouyed for the weekend.
COYG
Nice one ‘holic.
Not trying to take anything away from our lads, but I thought Fene were poor, at some points in the match I even thought they looked disintrested, it was like they couldn’t be arsed, however, my view changed after hearing a Dirk Kuyt interview on Dutch TV post game.
He insured all that Fene were distraight, they had given thier best, but Arsenal made them look shabby. Kuyt was full of praise for the way we closed them down and how we wore them out with our excellent ball retention, we really knocked them for six. (ok, three, but it could so easily have been more.)
Now we really need to take full advantage of that result, if we have indeed been waiting for CL qualification to get our business started then now is the time to strike, the iron will not get any hotter then it is at this moment.
COME ON ARSENAL!!!
Doh! – How will we bridge the gap!
D’Urso!
Can I suggest “paucity” for “poorness”?
Lurky, from he last bar, fair enough. I believe we made them look clueless.
Boss Wisniowka all around!
Paucity would indeed have been the word.
Thank you π
Holic lets just enjoy the moment!
Well written ‘Holic. Agree that Fulham will be tougher on Saturday. They will be well rested and will higher up the tempo. I don’t know how we’ll respond to that, but I believe that we had good preparations in the preseason and will do it. However, I don’t think that any additions will get in time for that game, except Flamini maybe.
Hope I am wrong, of course.
Cent, from the previous drinks.
I scouted them at the weekend in their game vs Galatasaray. They were man down for 70 minutes, playing 120 minutes like mad, running for every ball, making challenges, covering all over the pitch. Fanatic.
That is why I was scared tonight. They surprised me a lot this evening as they were clueless for 90 minutes. But as I stated maybe we were that good.
And H2H confirms it @ 11.
Hey Snowy,
First Pot for eight years ? π
AND YOUR DECENT BLOG!
Is Flamini on a free by any chance ?
Cheers, Cent.
You’re welcome, my old English Lit teacher would’ve been proud of me for that ‘holic.
Flamini is without a club as far as I know Trev, so, yes.
Got any more of that Pot, floating around? π
Just got home. Great report, Holic! Ramsey was head and shoulders above anyone else on that pitch tonight. And I have had a brilliant night out but must now be off to bed so as not to be completely dead at work tomorrow π Night all!
AW:
“The transfer market really starts now, a lot of activity will happen between now and 2 September. We have 12 days. A lot will happen. It starts now.”
Has he some tasty signings lined up who were waiting to be assured of ECL football?
I do hope so.
Larfs @ 5 and @ 22
Especially since I discovered a completely unopened bottle of Edradour behind said items.
According to it’s own PR fluff it is “a unique, single Highland malt whisky, to be enjoyed in recognition of those small, significant moments that make up the ebb and flow of life”
I’m not gonna argue with it…
I was so tense tonight, having been at the Grove on Saturday. Great performance from the lads, especially second half. Thought Ramsey was outstanding throughout. Second half, Jack, Theo and Chezzer were outstanding. I do honestly think that Sagna will end his career as a CB. So much to do in the next 12 days, but tonight has given us all hope again. Next stop the Cottage.
Paul Lambert – who deserves a lot of credit for what he has done at Villa – is on Sky Sports News tonight complaining about refereeing decisions.
No, really ! π
@33 – haha – suck it up Lambert!
What a ugly end to such a beautiful day. It seems that we are indeed in contact with Madrid. Not only for Benzema, but Di Maria too. Two of the three players in their team I hate the most. Now, please get me Pepe too, so I can hang myself in the living room.
I feel like this summer I’ve worked on transfers more than Dick Law. I am exausted:)
And finally I will get my reward- the most overrated CF in the world, the fat boy Benzema who hasn’t scored for France 198723492 hours and his equally overrated friend the Headless Chicken Di Maria.
Why not Ozil, or Casillas, or Diego Alves, or Varane.
Why? Because they are clearing all the deadwood and it looks like we are buying them.
henry @34
Even my mother would do the same π
And Real will of course get Suarez.
Benzema and Di Maria.
Meh.
It’s even worse than you think Lurky. The rumour is we’re offering Β£40m for Benzema, which is about Β£20m more than he’s worth.
Benzema sounds like a skin disease.
Oh how I’m gonna enjoy tomorrow. π
Great report Guv. Fener were poor, no doubt about that, but we got the job done, and in style, and hopefully our safe passage through will open the chequebook after what can only be generously described as a baffling summer.
Great to see all the usual suspects in without exception.
T’was ever thus.
PS How good was Ramsey?
@ 31
I argued with The Glenlivet once.
The whole distillery, mind.
Was stuck up The Lecht for days until the shakes eventually disappeared……
It’s enough to drive a (top) man to shandy π
News from the front from Brigadier HFB:
http://instagram.com/p/dSud1uOZ5g/
Hard to know which one to love the most really…
Ramsey has been excellent since the beginning of pre-season.
A very young man who had to try to rediscover his confidence, belief and form in front of 60,000 people, far too many of whom were not exactly over generous with their encouragement.
He also had to contend with the scum from the Britannia mocking his injury, and singing the name of their hero who had smashed his leg in half in the first place.
To his immense credit he now appears to be better than the already much improved player who suffered that horrendous leg break.
We have a player.
If he keeps up his present form, he won’t go too unnoticed, Steve T.
Zico @ 42 – π
Good news Snowy – gonna need him against the Totts…
charybdis@14 and holic@17
“paucity” would indeed NOT be the word. “paucity” means “fewness, smallness of quantity” (Chambers)
I suggest “poverty”, “vapidity”, “feebleness”, “jejuneness”, “meagreness”, “limpness”, “flaccidity”. (Roget’s)
They were ALL of them.
Cynic, Β£40m is about Β£50m more than he is worth. Better don’t buy anyone at all, save the stupid money in bank, give them to the poor, or throw them in the river. Burn them, just don’t buy Benzema. After all, he will kill Giroud, just like he does in the French team. Fuckityfuck.
SHANDY – and I thought you was a diamond geezah? π
I think Benteke is our man
Lurky @48, can’t see it myself….we are more likely to end up with Defoe.
Great win by a spirited Arsenal!
Now to look forward to Fulham and some frenetic signings of fabulous players 8)
Do you think the possible buy of Di Maria might see us sell Podolski, by the way? I mean.. .. he’s not going to play much and doesn’t like wide left anyway. Assuming Di Maria doesn’t play like a bell.
Not liking this I have to admit. Glad to be buying players just not the French Buster Bloodvessel.
Wouldn’t you rather have a serious crack at Rooney for that Β£40m?
@ 49
Explanation, next visit to the TA :h
Ttg, i’ve been championing Benteke since June.
Don’t think he’ll be leaving Villa just now though.
Trev@44
I would say Ramsey has been excellent since March.
Cynic@53,
Only with an air rifle. π
True dk.
No, bath. It’s actually happening. Put your money on it, I will refund if you lose. But you won’t lose. It is happening. You know why? Because I don’t want it to happen. So, it will in the end.
Glad Arsene said our pursuance of Suarez is DEAD, I think we will end up with Rooney now.
Lurky – Can’t you hope Rooney doesn’t happen instead and change your mind to love Benzema? That way it won’t happen, we’ll get a wanker but at least one who can run a bit and all is well
Can’t believe that we will spend more than half of our hard earned money on Benzema and Di Maria. Just can’t. What a big mistake. The only way out is that the fat french bloke doesn’t want to come. Stay in sunny Madrid, mate.
Benteke is toilet.
Oh dear – since some posts have been cleared off, my post @ 41 now appears to have replied to the post following…too spooky π
And Trev is replying to himself @53
Maybe numbers aren’t the way forward tonight….
As for the Benzema and Di maria talk, I imagine Arsene would have given Giroud some assurances and wouldn’t bring in his rival at international level especially in a world cup year. Di maria seems more likely to me but then I think Arsene would be high on cheap drugs before he pays the sum quoted by the Daily Meh for him, that is also applicable to Benzema.
Cynic, no I can’t. It doesn’t works that way, you know it. Because I would love to see Rooney. He is going to work perfectly with Walcott and Ox as he does for England. But he doesn’t want to come to Arsenal, end of story. Let’s hope that Benzema doesn’t want too.
And just when you thought there could be no more good news today…
http://instagram.com/p/dSud1uOZ5g/
π π π
Don’t worry about it, Lurky.
You said we were going for Gustavo, and we didn’t get him either. π
Bit late TW – snowy linked that at 12.18.
Do try to keep up, old chap. π
At work sir, no time to back drink properly…
Will pipe down without delay π
Great news that Thierry!
Btw, how likely is it we’d be doing business with Real so soon after that sour piece of business with Higuain?
Maybe we could agree the deal and then halve the offer. π
I want signings but this summer they are few players we’ve been linked with that made me excited.
Hopefully we can find us a gem soon that makes us feel good inside.
Maybe we should sign Dr Feelgood? π
Trev, that would be brilliant π
Are Real selling all of their players to make room for Bale, his ego, and his heart sign?
Benzema? Wouldn’t have anything to do with him being French would it? More imagination please Arsene…
Oskar
Begovic, Cabaye, Rooney and Flamini please. And maybe a winger who can actually centre the ball.
Oskar
Trev,
First thing, we bid for Gustavo, we just got outbid.
Second thing, I liked Gustavo, he was perfect for us, that’s why it didn’t happened.
Benzema on other hand, I don’t like at all. Higuain was a better option even though Suarez was exactly what we need.
Home at last.
Had to walk about 4 miles home, because someone threw themselves under a train.
Would have been a lot harder with a shit result.
Goodnight.
For him/her or you, Ollie?
Heh, I would have driven a train over someone with a shit result π
Ollie, maybe he understood that we are about to sign Benzema and decided to threw himself to ease the pain of watching the fat bloke in red and white.
Maybe Arsene, having degree in economics, thought about it for a ver long time and decided that he will have to threw away all the Arshavin shirts, so to spare some money on shirts will sign the fat french.
Many maybe’s, but only one certainty- I’ll have to use to love him.
Night all
Calm down Lurky, we are definitely NOT signing Benzema.
Lurky, real has already let go Higuain, why would they left Benzema leave as well and put all of their strikers responsibilities to Ronaldo and (maybe) Suarez? That seems odd.
And what is wrong with Di Maria? Fast dribbler, scores god goals, hard working, can pass, can play one-two…
I don’t think any of those two will arrive though…
@79: phew… ‘Real’ and ‘ …let leave…’ .
I know we are all hell bent for a more clinical striker, I just think a DM, a versatile defender and a goal scoring winger are more important.
Lurky,
Gustavo didn’t have the balls to play for the Arsenal and compete for his position.
11th place bundesliga team, no
European football, no history…
I hope he likes his free Volkswagen,
What a cowardly cunt.
Oskar @ 71: Arsene has always been ‘open’ about his admiration for Benzema, just as he has been about his admiration for Rooney. I think in addition to the talent and abilities he also likes the fact that these types of players can very effectively cater their game to a plan. Same for Eto’o. Just a guess…
We need signings blah-blah-blah
I hate racist bitey cunts blah-blah-blah
Fook it, we won, and convincingly!
I will worry about Fulham tomorrow.
Today my Gunners got me through a boring ass tax hearing with much aplomb. Well played boys!
COYG!!!!
Reminder folks
Benzima and Ribery are still on charged in Frsnce for some very unpleasant behaviour.
Trial date is this winter.
The man is un sign able.
…. And Real are bastards.
As this may most likely be the last seasons for TR7 and Sagna — two true Arsenal stalwarts, classy on and off the field — I really hope their career with Arsenal (stellar for Bac, unfortunately limited but still with brilliant moments for TR7) end with glorious memories.
Never in doubt.
Glad the season has finally begun.
COYG
Cheers all. Great game. Fener were poor but we pressed with a high tempo and passed them off the field. No wonder our goals came in the second half, they were gassed. Chins up. Lets hope the MUCH NEEDED reinforcement come in to augment this team. They need that extra spark that a few key signings can bring. I don’t want Benzema. I know AW has lusted him for a long time but not the quality striker this team needs. I’d take di Maria though.
Glad to see Kos smiling. Looked bad at the time. 2 games and we are a walking M.A.S.H. UNIT but I love the spirit / sperwit of this group.
Thing is, Dr F, AW’s first port of call always seems to be the frog pond even though his strike rate there has been modest since the golden days of Henry, Pires and Viera.
I’m sure he has an easier time coaching his own, but look at the record (not in any particular order) … Diaby, Sagna, Flamini, Gallas, Clichy, Traore, Henry, Diarra, Pires, Wiltord, Grimandi, Petit, Viera, Anelka, Cygan, Aliadiere, Demel, Diawara, Garde, Chamakh, Giroud, Sanogo, Coquelin, Nasri, Bischoff, Silvestre, Koscielny (all from memory, there may be more).
A lot of average players there among the jewels. How many of them have been real class in recent years? Sagna, Koscielny and debatably Nasri. And yet back he goes year after year. At least that is what the media would have us believe with links to practically every frog in football boots every transfer window.
I believe Benzema had a good year once, or maybe it was a good game? Whatever, we can do better. And most of the candidates won’t be French.
Oskar
Personally I don’t care if we sign 32542287564212548658million players form one country, as long as they get the job done I’m happy. Having said that, I don’t want Benzema(at least not for Β£40M) and I don’t believe we are after him or that Real cunts will sell him.
Oskar @ 88: In that list Bischoff is Portuguese and Chamakh Moroccan. π
I think the reason for many French players in Arsenal color over Wenger’s tenure is primarily the fact that Ligue 1 was where value for money could be had and Arsene’s prime coincided with really a great generation of French footballers (not any more). And from his own background — not just the cultural but being a successful manager with Monaco — he had more insights into upcoming talents etc. and more connections.
He has also paid attention to Spanish and then the German league recently, where in additions to those we have, he had seriously tried to sign Goetze, Reus, Gundogan, Bender — none of which worked out for one reason or another — but he has not been ‘blind’ to talents due to any linguistic-cultural affiliations. And he is a polyglot anyway. π
But most importantly for English football, no top level manager has brought up so many quality English players in the last few years: Gibbs, Ox, Theo, Jenk and of course Jack. If they maintain their growth and stay injury free, all five can very well play for the English team together.
You could still get a pretty decent team out of that list, Otd.
As someone mentioned earlier this week, there’s a reason for getting mostly players from French clubs; not many clubs want to do business with Arsenal anymore (if they ever did). Before it seemed like it was a choice but now it seems like its one of our few areas that we can do business relatively easily.
Witness us bidding for Gary Cahill when he was at Bolton and the shit they gave us for bidding 10m, calling it derisory and insulting, then selling him for 6m of so to Chelsea. And the pack of balls when we went through for Kaka, then Villa, then the Liverpool thing, and the Newcastle thing…
People either hate our negotiators or just don’t want to strengthen Arsenal I reckon, sometimes no matter the cost :/
I figure right now we just choose to do business with people Arsene is on good terms with, and that doesn’t seem to be too many at the moment…
All speculation on my part of course.
Benzema’s strike rate isn’t that impressive, 114 goals in 264 cup and league games for RM and Lyon.
Not sure about his Stats but Benzema always seemed slow and lazy to me…
Di Maria’s is even worse, 35 in 223. Has never got into double figures in a season. Even Gerv the Swerve has managed 63 in 249.
Btw, anyone else wondering why Podolski’s on the bench all of a sudden? I wonder if it’s because of his ankle surgery…
Or, is it that the boss is going to have him play up top in place of Giroud instead of the wing?
Great performance all around and it’s great to see Sagna getting the credit he deserves. A very valuable player.
Hey everyone, and cheers! A (mostly) enjoyable back drink. Nice to see everyone in (and in some cases, apparently enjoying) good spirits. What a win it was. Put me in mind a little of Bayern. Big big game, far from home, the squad pulled together and got an important result. Time will tell just how important.
Unfortunately, lads, because of the way the club has conducted the summer window thus far, the chances of the club signing players who really put us supporters over the moon are slim indeed. I can see the reservations about Benzema, I can. But at this point I’d settle for him, pretty gladly. (And two or three more, as well, please.)
Crosses it in..
Also I don’t think anyone’s mentioned, it was great to see Monreal make a cameo today. Played a lovely ball to Podolski, too (though Podolski couldn’t quite find the handle on it). I like the Nacho. And with so many players going out with various injuries, it’s nice to see one coming back.
And boom!
“Not sure he knew much about it, Nigel.”
“No, but he’ll certainly take it, Martin. He’ll certainly take it.”
Dr F … Bischoff has a French father and was born in France, Chamakh was born and raised in France, so both are/were eligible. But you’re right about the value for money argument, although it doesn’t seem to apply currently.
I agree, NBN, there’s a good team amongst the French gunners … but they aren’t age-related so not concurrent, and apart from the obvious I wouldn’t want most of them in a red/white shirt.
My point is that time and again AW’s first stop is France, despite the average standard of French football these days. But it could be a media-driven thing promoted by lazy journalists. I just squirm every time yet another French connection is mooted.
Oskar
It’s also difficult to be sure where AW has been casting his net. I’ve seen plenty of reports suggesting he’s chasing Italian, Spanish, German and Martian, whatever, players, but very rarely have I seen confirmation of interest from Wenger or the club, let alone any evidence of firm bids. More often than not the clubs concerned say no offers have been made by Arsenal.
Oskar
Forgot to ask, where’d those blue shorts come from??? Have we ever done that before?
Felt like I was watching Trinidad’s Strike Squad playing π
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tW3YVBwRTE4&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DtW3YVBwRTE4
It’s the French connection again, CoR. Have you not noticed the similarity of Arsenal’s colours to Le Tricolore this year?
Oskar
Just seeing rumours on Twatter that Podolski may be off to Schalke??
O.o
@107: Heh π Could also be Stan Kranky’s influence!
I Get the feeling wenger wants a right footed front man to balance the attack -since leftfoot poldi doesnt like the wing much and giroud to play there? I’d be damned. That explains interest in di maria for the left n well, Benzema as an alternative after the suarez saga. We miss that coz van cunt didnt have much of a problem with shifting to his right.
Have three blogs worth of backdrinking or so, and haven’t yet due to, well, us losing that league opener. Most of the time I get comfort from you lot, but there was just something in the way that loss came about that made it a bit too much for me. I really wanted to scream that it wasn’t our fault, two penalties and a red, and that everything just went wrong, and at the same time, it shouldn’t have had happened and I just got into spirals and circles in my head and I just couldn’t wrap said knopf around what I really thought.
Anyways. That’s done and dusted now. Good win yesterday, great, in fact. I have seldom seen a team with such worthless passing as Fener showed off yesterday, but I have also seen them pass the ball better, and work harder, so I am as confused as anyone as to why they didn’t. Doesn’t matter thought, we played well, stood up physically the few times it was necessary (where the turks really trying at all?!) and got our game going. Ramsey MOTM, as I am sure many have said. As for the penalty, of course it is a penalty. I would have been screaming if given against us, but because the player so obviously sought it, but that is not the same as saying it was simulation. On the other hand, what is a player to do when he receives the ball slightly on the outside of the defending player? Of course he should try to get in front to get closer to goal. Walcott did well. He was quick, got in infront of the defender and that a penalty will just be the inevitable outcome of that situation is really not his problem. He can’t be going towards the corner flag just as to not draw a foul.
Lastly, again, I love Wenger:
“You have to understand that there is still a long way to go. The transfer market starts for me now and a lot of activity will happen between now and 2 September. It starts now. It is like a poker game. People hold their cards as long as possible and see what is happening out there. In the end, they go for decisions.
Wenger was asked whether he was any good at poker. “No,” he replied
He never shies away from some self-deprecation even under the most trying circumstances.
Morning all.
A good win and hopefully a confidence boost for Saturday as much as anything else. I would like to say again how pleased I am for AR. Big heart that young man.
The Suarez deal is dead????? Well I’ll be???? Who on earth would have thought that??? I am still amazed that we even bid for him and even more amazed that we appeared to fall for that buy out clause bollocks. I’m guessing that this means that all of those who declared that they were warming to the horrible little wanker can start disliking him again now????
AW expects the window to really start moving now??? Well I hope for his sake that he is right. As others have mentioned above it does not excuse the mismanagement of the rest of the summer, but it would start to make amends.
Holic I have to speak up here. “Paucity” is an admirable suggestion but linguistic research has shown it to be most commonly used in conjunction with the prepositional phrase “of options”. I therefore recommend “shortage of quality” instead.
You’re welcome π
Shout to charybdis for getting the pedantry in first.
DK Gooner – flaccidity. Brilliant! How about also: impotence?
hello fellow bar mates.
Saw the whole game and my thoughts.
1. We play better away from home.
2. Ramsey put in an excellent shift yesterday. agree with ‘holic he is getting back to his best. if he can add long range passes to his game and up his goals he would be gold to this team.
That hold up play and pass to Theo for the first goal was world class.
3. Our passing mostly was slow and deliberate. (Away from home its fine). Hopefully with games the pace can get better.
4. So enjoyed Gibbs getting a goal. He needs to really push on. Is he first or second choice?
5. Not a fan of scezney but he did the business when called upon.
6. Jack is slowly getting there. He needs alert players around him when he bursts into the opposition penalty area.
Now we wait for some top top signings.
@Toby
I laughed out loud when I read that quote. Fantastic. I can just imagine him saying it, too.
Amazed people are unhappy we’re after Benzema. I’m travelling on business this week and by coincidence I spent last night with half a dozen Madrid season ticket holders; in fact, they were the ones who alerted me to the Benzema story.
Their view is that he’s a top quality centre forward, and a better player than Higuain. The perception at Madrid is apparently that benzema’s overall performance is only marginally ahead of that of Higuain, but that Higuain is “a tryer” who gives his all every game, whereas Benzema has another gear he can go up, and that Madrid don’t always get him to that top gear. They were unanimous in feeling that if he moved to Arsenal, Wenger would get more out of him.
They were also absolutely stunned when I told them that there have been calls for Arsene to resign.
Re: our chances of getting the player, they said that the club president has a big soft spot for him, so Ancelotti would need to want to sell + it may depend on what’s been spent on Bale and whether Morata is ready for regular first team football.
Personally, I like him a lot, and I think I predicted back in May that we’d move for him; underperforming French centre forward coming into his mid 20s but with world class potential? Tailor made for Wenger.
I do, however, think we’d be missing a trick with Benteke – would love to know why no club came in for him when he wanted out, because he looks a beast to me.
I think it is folly of the highest order to go back to deal with Real Madrid who dicked us off over Higuain so badly. In all seriousness we would have been much better going for Soldado and Willian than Benzema and Di Maria- only reason we will get them is that they are surplus to requirements ( ie not very good). Wouldn’t mind Ozil but if Benteke is off limits I would go for Martinez the Porto striker. Micah Richards or Williams and Fellaini complete my wish list. I think Wojciech showed what he was made of yesterday
Morning all great win last night!
We dominated them! More of that please and few more signings would be awesome!
Ollie @74,
That sounds a little ‘chemin de un-fair’ π
Yeh Toby, AW’s quote is funny, we have to see it that way – he MUST be doing this to wind up the press, and probably fans too. I mean, on hearing that little sound bite, who wouldn’t want to grab him by the lapels, backhand him with a leather riding glove and yell, “No it does not start now, it started…” etc etc.
TTG
I also like the look of Martinez – good player.
I don’t buy it that Di Maria is poor though, and I certainly think he’s better than Willian. Also, Soldado is 29 this season, so horrible value for money, and if I recall correctly he was originally moved on by Madrid to make room for Benzema.
I do like your player list though, would be very happy with those.
Benzema? Thanks but no thanks!
Prince Poldi to Schalke? Only if he’s high-5ing Huntelaar (fit again) on his way out.
Trev@51: pfft, I’ve been championing Benteke since October last year. Bandwaggoner π
Steve: Wenger saying the Suarez deal is dead is almost certainly nothing but negotiating tactics. Nothing brings a price down like the selling party thinking their only prospective buyer is losing interest. But I would honestly be quite happy if the deal is indeed dead and we instead get a player in that I don’t detest. I’m not convinced by Benzema at all though, and certainly not at 40 million quid. And like N7 I am somewhat mystified by the lack of interest in Benteke from other clubs, why aren’t we in for him?
I must say that I would be happy with Benzema. I don’t know enough about DI Maria. I also don’t buy this being dicked around by Madrid stuff either. A verbal agreement is nothing. If we did try and negotiate a deal for Higuain then more fool us for not getting it in writing and binding. If someone else comes in and offers more then can you blame them for agreeing a deal elsewhere????
What I would really love is Suarez to Madrid on deadline day thus giving the scousers no time to find a replacement. That would be funny.
Lars. If suarez comes to us before this window closes then I will be absolutely astounded. As for Benteke, I have no idea either. He looks a typical Arsenal player.
Benzema is not that bad but I would certainly prefer as H2H mentioned the other day Lemondowski π
Di Maria is a good player how old is he now?
We definitely need a another center back now as Kos will be out for a while now.
Here’s to a loooong run in the Ropey League for Tottnum – all the way to a losing final. π
*waits for a box round the ears from Tabs and zico * π
ATG – Kos is out for a bit? Is that because an employee of Morrison’s picked him up and put him in the salad section??
Anyone lend me a tenner for the cab fare?
Steve, as long as Suarez to Real doesn’t stop them from getting Bale I’m alright with your deadline day scenario π
PR
I thought it was a bad injury to the head hence I thought he might out for a while.
Lars. With the acquisitions the spuds are making they can’t afford to keep Bale.
Morning Holic and Holics.
Excellent performance last night by the team on the field.
Now let’s have a comparable performance from the off-the-field team.
Go buy, you redzzzzz.
Totally agree with you there, Steve. Not unless they have had a cash injection of rather massive proportions from somewhere, anyway.
Picture of Kos vertical and smiling on the flight home – very good to see. Should be ok for the NLD, apparently:
http://www.arsenalstation.com/2013/08/22/photo-giroud-posts-image-with-bruised-koscielny-on-plane-after-nasty-cut/?
Much as I hate to think it and say it, the LWCs have put their money where their mouth is (not the usual place for a human btw) and are pushing the boat out (and mortgaging their future) to finally break into the top 4.
It is vital that we (clearly the most vulnerable of the incumbents) break their putrid little chicken hearts again.
To do that, we have to buy well…NOW.
They were also absolutely stunned when I told them that there have been calls for Arsene to resign.
You should have asked them how long he would last at Real Madrid if he won nothing, bearing in mind their reputation as a club and their fans reputation for impatience. They’d never put up with eight years.
Steve @ 130 – what if, Spurs having already spent the money, on TDD Real went “Β£85m – are you mad?” And then pulled out.
And we buy him in January …. π
Why is Frimpng still around when he is out of contract and we haven’t given him a new one?
Hah snowy, was thinking the same thing π
Bath
Good news on Kos and nice pic from OG. Our defence looks more like a team of K1 fighters.
That is also where I’d like us to spend money the most right now. Makes no sense to buy an extraordinary striker that consumes our transfer-kitty the same time our defence gets kicked into pieces on and on. I know it won’t go on like that but some real enforcement behind the offensive MF would do good imo.
Besides I still believe that Olivier can and will us make smiling this season.
Great performance last night. Don’t care if Fenners were bad or not – the performance of our midfield, Santi and the ever mercurial Theo was right up there with the best. Szchezney too.
I witnessed through this month a vicious circle of social media winding up journalism winding up social media – all founded on rumour and conjecture. At times it has looked like a shark infested feeding frenzy. Last night will hopefully quieten it down a bit.
Think back the last few seasons when we have identified our targets early only to be gazumped by City, Chelsea and United. I am convinced that is why we are biding our time. It is my firm belief that Arsene is a card player. He has been accused of dithering (and of lacking strategy by the oft quoted Swiss Ramble) yet think on this. If he has Β£70 million to spend would you not rather he spent it wisely and not overpaying for marquee players just because the pressure is on.
Ok β so Tottenham have done their business. Fine β I donβt think any of Tottenhamβs recruits would enrich our squad and they all look a tad over-priced to me.
City, Malaga and PSG have done theirs with Petro Dollars and were always going to outbid/overpay for anyone. No Falcao or Cavani even to Chelsea.
Now things will start to happen at more sensible prices. There are still great targets out there who would really strengthen our squad. Donβt sniff at Benzema. He is a real talent. Paul Pogba anyone? Itβs a yes from me. Mamadou Sakho? As my son put it β βwhat a really big black bloke with two quick feet? Sign him now! Geoffrey Kondogbia? (Maybe he is the one with the really two quick feet and possibly). WOW! And there are more.
We beat City at a canter two weeks ago and lost to Villa because they had 12 men on the pitch. (Irrespective of whether we played badly or not we would have won.
Arsene is a class act. βBout time we supporters showed some too.
LWCs would go bankrupt rather than sell him to us. The only way we would get a quality player from them is if that player had managed to let his contract run down completely and was thus a free agent – like Sol did.
Cynic, maybe he offered to be unleashed on the LWCs during the NLD for free? π
Great post and excellent points there KVC @ 140. Five stars, mate.
Good one KVC! Only the Benzema part that I’m not convinced of.
My fear of the timing is that we will hear the “needs time to gel” thing for some time again.
I do hope not, we’d lose for sure π
First paragraph of this made me lol. Black humour..
http://imageshack.us/a/img809/2797/zdhf.jpg
@Bath @ Datysuk point is that none of those targets are nailed on (obviously) but I just think we do Arsene a disservice.
I am not blindly wedded to Arsene β I think we have made mistakes over the past few years. But on balance he has steered this club though a pivotal period in our history with passion and commitment.
What has really impressed me lately is the flourishing of Ramsay and Gibbs, Theo becoming more consistent, Wilshire getting back to form and the Ox making real strides over the last few months. TR7s form is also a revelation. Jenks will also get there. Would other managers have the balls to see all that through?
As he says – this year we have not lost anyone – so letβs see how much stronger we are going to be on September 2nd.
COYG – point those canons outwards and lets go pot hunting!
Right β I am at work so over and out.
Kings VC: Cracking post!
N7 @ 115: I think the comments from the Madrid fans were spot on. RM have courted Wenger on more than one occasion with a view towards poaching him. It always make me smile when Arsenal fans cite Mourinho as being offered such big jobs without realising that in many cases, they were the ones than Wenger turned down in order to stay here ! Then consider in the same light, just how utterly preposterous the AST were in saying that Wengers contract extension should be put on ice until after the transfer window…!
Cynic, Frimpong is not out of contract. If he had been, he would, under Premier League rules, not been allowed to be included in a match-day squad as he was v Villa. Players must have professional contracts in order to be eligible for selection for competitive games. This goes for all the three Football League divisions as well, once a team climbs up to League Two they have to turn 100% professional and employ all players on full-time contracts.
Not preposterous at all. No other club would keep giving a manager who has lost the ability to win a contract and especially not on Β£7.5m a year. If it looked like he was doing his absolute damndest to make us a winning team again, fair enough. But sitting idle in the transfer market most summers and selling off your assets is not doing your best IMO.
What bothered me aboiut yesterday’s press conference was his line about “Now the transfer window starts” which suggest that he wasn’t doing anything until CL qualification was done (as it surely is now).
This either means we have shit all money, which I don’t believe at all, or that he didn’t think he could get anyone in without the lure of CL football. Which is possible, but alarmingly defeatist for me.
They either want to play for Arsenal or they don’t and if they don’t, unless we’re in the CL, fuck em off.
Damn his eyes, he’s still got a year left. But I would put money on him joining Fulham next week.
@ KVC Don’t get me wrong Sir. I’m miles away from criticizing the manager. If this is the way we have to do business so be it.
All faith in Wenger and the team. No proof from anyone so far that I’m wrong.
I just had welcomed it to see the arrivals in preseason and have a look at how they get along before there are points at stake.
I remember to be very happy the day our bunch of young talent signed contracts for the future. Even more happy now that it looks like they really can build a core of outstanding players and be able to play together for years to come.
Don’t get me wrong but I can wait some years more for any trophy just to enjoy it even more when it happens π
No Matty, you’re the one who is a dimwit, in fact you’re the type of dimwit that other dimwits would be ashamed of.
matty
So I may kick you in the head for no reason and just for the fun of it? I guess you agree that this sounds idiotic.
Have you even seen the game? Why did the Fener players run more meters than our boys?
Seems you can’t even enjoy a win can you?
Welcome back MNB.
You’ve not been missed. Try to stay away for longer next time, please.
Byeeeeee
I mean it’s like saying they may have fixed that game because they’ll get kicked out anyways π
MNB. The invertebrate eunuch returns. The girl depriving a village of its idiot.
Always puts a smile on my face. Should make us all realise how lucky we are.
Ethical
Jose Mourinho is a man of principles. Not for him the unsettling bid for a big-name player on the eve of a big match. Learn, Mr Wenger, learn.
This modern-day Abraham Lincoln was asked about moving again for Wayne Rooney ahead of Monday’s clash and he said: “I don’t want Chelsea to do it before we go there. Everybody in the club, in the board, they agree with me. They share that opinion. I think this period, by the ethical point of view, is a period where we’re going to be quiet.”
Bravo, Mr Mourinho, bravo. It is indeed incredibly ethical to bid twice for a player and then make it publicly clear that you will bid for a third time just after you are scheduled to face him. That won’t unsettle him at all. Oh no.
Excuse Mediawatch while we reassure our soon-to-be-married friend that we won’t try it on with his missus until just after the wedding. It’s only ethical.
Quite. The Special Prick.
Heh @ cent – 12:33 π
Ollie
So the special one is back with a bag full of new special comments?
Guess we will get something to smile even on days we may drop points π
matty,
How about you spend an hour or two going through your own motions……
Hey all, don’t feed the troll.
Trev, I got a ticket for the Stoke game today. Block 91, row 20, isn’t that your row?
Nice one ‘holic!
It’s not as bad as it seemed last weekend at all. I feel like such a douche bag after all the doomy things I said.
All this stuff about AW deliberately running the club into the ground over an inability to communicate with IG is, well, bollocks really.
If we can play against Fulham like we did last night, no reason we can’t beat them. I know Fener looked shit but it wasn’t for want of trying: they were getting properly pissed off towards the end, you could see they cared. Maybe, just maybe, it was our passing and movement that made them look shit.
Just putting it out there.
Main reason I don’t want us to buy Benzema and Di Maria, apart from them being shit, is that we’ll be helping Spurs.
Madrid, presumably, could only afford Bale if they sold Benzema and Di Maria to us. Spurs will get Β£85m+ for one player and use the money to buy three or four top players, improving their side no end.
So in short, fuck Madrid, fuck Spurs and fuck Galen
Cynic, I seriously doubt Spurs can spend too much of the Bale money becuase they have already spent pretty much all of it – if not more.
I wonder how much Spuds will actually get from Real in readies. After all Real still owe them a chunk of money for Modric and it’s inconceivable they have anything like the squillions quoted for Bale. More like they’ll put less than half down for Bale, probably less than that.
In strict financial terms we are better placed to buy Bale than RM. Not that I’d recommend putting all the eggs in the one basket case.
Oskar
What Spuds should do with the Bale windfall is put it away for their mythical stadium.
Oskar
Well yeah, Lars, that’s what I sort of mean. Things must be decided on all three sides – Madrid knew they were selling, so they went ahead with talking to Spurs who knew they’d sell and went out to buy, so we’ve already funded their deals. What would be nice now is if we told Madrid to do one.. π
‘sup peeps.
Didn’t Benteke just sign a new and approved contract?
==
iCoR
Are Real selling all of their players to make room for Bale, his ego, and his heart sign?
Is that a heart!?
Steve T. @111
Agree re the racistcanibal. I can definetly claim the moral high ground on that one, at no time did I want him at our club. :smuggitsmileyface:
Cynic 146
Heh.
===
BEtter stop with numbers now, as there is a nasty smell eminating.
Now we know why he wasnt scoring for us!!!
http://metro.co.uk/2013/08/22/marouane-chamakh-blackmailers-killed-my-arsenal-career-3934124
Spurs have spent their dough, but lost Bale. We’re about to spend our dough, although we’ve lost Gervinho.
Fucked if I’m going to worry about that lot. Even if we signed no one, and even if we didn’t play as well as last season and even if we handed them another big head start in late Feb they’d still find a way to blow it.
Can I just plant my flag firmly here and say that I, for one, am buzzing about the prospect of Benzema and Di Maria (if we can pull it off)? I think they’re both top notch players and that Arsene will get a little bit extra from each of them. Just what we need.
Add a couple of extra players on top of that, factor in improved second seasons from Santi, HFB and prince Poldi, maybe a bit of improvement with age from Rambo, jack, Gibbsy and Jenks and – really – it doesn’t all look so bad, does it?
Still a long way to go before we’re legit title contenders, but some signs that the ship is finally turning around and we might just be on our way back up. Just need to actually pull the trigger and spend some of that dough we have lying around….
H2H
He did indeed, but that doesn’t mean he can’t move. I suspect a Β£25m bid would be too good for villa to turn down, and the player would jump at it.
If not, we could always pretend there’s a release clause in his new deal and see how that works out for us…
Heh, Turkish Delight for us. Humble pie for them!
Shit – I forgot to add “cameos from young talents like Gnabry and Zelalem” to my “reasons to be cheerful” list. I’m no Ian Dury.
To the tune of Casey Jones……
MNB, he’d never heard of fornication.
MNB, he’d never dipped his tool.
MNB, was satisfied with masturbation,
He thought a cunt was something he was called at school…..
…… and in every other walk of life no doubt.
@172: Hellas, I took care of that spot of trouble for Marouane a couple years back but never got the fatties he promised me…
Clive Allen, H2H. π
N7,
It doesn’t look so bad, but then it never does assuming everyone is fit.
I’m not in any position to make a judgement on Benzema or di Maria, but I do know I completely disagree with whoever was suggesting Micah Richards.
The bloke is injured more often than Diaby and is currently out for another month with a hamstring injury.
As for the price of Benzema, I neither know nor care.
Maybe, just maybe, although all experience would suggest otherwise, Silent Stan has gifted us Β£50 million to go and have fun with.
I don’t know. And neither does anyone else. π
Lars, I’m in Block 91, Row 19.
N7. You need to add a part 3. Otherwise all I can say is what a waste.
I would also me excited by Benzema and Di Maria although after our achievements of the last 3 months you will forgive me if I say I will only believe it when I see it officially announced.
If he was out for 3 weeks Trev then we would definitely be interested.
I’ll be within shouting range of you then, Trev π
And I agree re: Micah Richards. Very good player, but seems to break down all too easily.
Why don’t we just sign a Benz and a DeLorean instead?
Honeys dig those! 8)
Heh @ Steve T’s MNB song. That gave me a good laugh!
Benzema is a good player, however, I would be very concerned about that court case he has pending. Nevertheless, I would love it if Di Maria arrived at Arsenal. I rate him highly.
Cynic.
βNow the transfer window startsβ
Must admit, that made me a little upset too.
I love how N7, once again, puts a cheery spin on things, also KVC’s (rather optimistic) outlook on the players we could still attract, but I still feel we should of been a little more bullish during the last few months.
We played well yesterday, no doubt, but it’s still just a slight papering over the cracks. I’ve always maintained that we have a good starting XI, yet we still lack any form of depth. Let’s not forget that we still have to go to Fulham with only one proper CB (no disrespect to Sagna) and that’s just not good enough.
I know that there is still time to (fractionaly) redeem ourselves, but I still feel we wasted a chance to make a real statement of intent.
Signings plsssssssssssssssss. Good job lads lets go
Cheers H2H.
I just can’t be arsed with all the misery. Spurs are spending more than us – boo fucking hoo – they’ve spent more than us for the last ten years, how’s that worked out for them?
Not to say that all is rosey with us, just that I’m not about to cast admiring glances at our local rivals until they at least actually do something on the pitch. And we’re not there yet. Any fucker can spend money (apart from our fuckers, obv).
I agree with you completely that we should have spent earlier and our squad should never have been allowed to get so thin. However, if we end the window with strong acquisitions and a healthy looking squad I’ll get over it pretty quick. Frankly, if we spend some proper dough this summer then that alone will fill me with optimism that the dark days will shortly be behind us, that we’ve not been sold a pup with the whole stadium project and that future summers will see further expenditure, while some of our *ahem* rivals scramble around trying to fund their own new stadiums. I honestly think that’s the long view. I don’t need us to win anything this season, I just need some suggestion that we have a plan that involves a serious commitment to win major honours in the near future.
I also wanted to say that the comment above (Kingsverycross I think) about the media/social media feeding frenzy/circle jerk is bang on. Mass psychosis, someone called it the other day, and it very much is. People slitting their wrists one minute, bouncing off the walls the next, all based on unconfirmed rumours? How do they function in real life? There were people shitting themselves yesterday when Spurs were linked with Lamela. I’m sure he’s a good player, but – honestly – you’d have thought he was the original Ronaldo from what was being said.
So, I’m keeping it all zen again. We’ll know soon enough what kind of summer this is, the final reckoning is just around the corner. Until it arrives, I’ll focus my emotional energy on the actual football, because it’s a lot more enjoyable than trying to guess what’s going on in Wayne Rooney’s huge, mis-shapen bonce.
Benzema, to be honest, didn’t really fulfill his potential from the Lyon days. A main reason may be with this RM team he often doesn’t need to force his game too much, which is what I would expect him to do — take a step forward — under Arsene’s tutelage. I know many don’t like him, but he has all the qualities to be very successful. And I think a competition like that would force Giroud to improve his game more as well.
However I am not sure we would actually buy/get Benzema. It just seems odd to me RM would let go both of their top two strikers and just hope that Ronaldo and maybe Suarez (a big if) would be adequate.
I also don’t understand the concerns about Di Maria. He is exactly the kind of direct, fast dribblers we need — we just have only one of them in Ox — with a fantastic work rate and good experience. He may be more likely to leave if Bale is joining RM.
Dr F
I’m told the thinking is that Morata is ready for the first team. He looked a handful for the U21s.
Cynic @ 135 – That seems like a unfair comparison. Their reputation as a club is to spend as much money as they like every summer with no pressure to balance the debt and no new stadium to build (see ‘Galacticos’ and more recently Bale). They do so using debt backed by the largest banks in Spain. The impatience of their fans is a result of the expectation that comes with spending said large amounts of money every summer.
Steve T – I like the song, but as Derek and Clive would say, “Don’t call it masturbation, call it wanking”
Fucking and wanking scans better.
Thanks N7. Possibly you are right, but I never remember RM not maintaining some continuity in the striker’s position from one season to another. But then much of my adult years it was Raul season in and season out anyway. π
Bearded @ 189 — Exactly and deeper than that.
Madrid and Barca are cultural institutions — doesn’t necessarily mean they always have positive influence on the society, often not — that would never be allowed to fail. The TV rights system in Spain is outrageously rigged in their favor, the banks would never refuse loans to them, and they are more than football clubs (not necessarily in the sense Arsenal is more than football club). They are like Churches, or state sponsored culture clubs…
I cannot believe that people are turning their noses up at Benzema and Di Maria. FFS we are not going to get Messi, Ronaldo or Cavani and it looks like Suarez and Rooney are not available (to us) either. Benzema is better than Higuain and than HFB.
I don’t think we will get either but if we did sign either or both it would add the depth we crave up front, increase options and, IMHO, add considerable quality.
Re Benzema rumours:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnR6IQ9-X1M&feature=endscreen
Bath, the HFB and Benzema have scored exactly the same number of goals(33) since the beginning of the 2011/2012 season.
Ramsey’s cross-field pass to…
I’m not sure I understand the indignation towards Benzema either. Wasn’t he the one limiting Higuans chances at Real?
40mill seems a bit steep, but then again all the prices have gone through the roof over the last few years. Bale for 100mill? Do me a favour.
…One-two with…
Crosses
Flick
@ bath & Doctor F
I just don’t know about Benzema. Am I that wrong when I say I feel his just not the real deal? To me it looks he constantly needs a kick in the ass to be at his best and there I am thinking that shouldn’t be necessary for a professional earning big times.
Di Maria? Fine with me. I admit I don’t know him that well and just because of his face I will not rate him. I’m not making my life as a centerfold either π
Benzeeeeeeeema!
Flicked in! Cheeky N7.
Well iN7
CoR, CL teams have to register their first- and second-choice kits and any ancillary shirts, shorts and socks for the competition with UEFA. For each game, clubs mutually agree which colors they will play in. If they disagree, UEFA steps in to decide. UEFA can instruct a team to mix its kits to provide a contrast with the other team. As Fenerbache plays in white shorts and socks, and the home side gets first dibs, that may be what happened. Note the red socks we were wearing, too. We couldn’t switch to the yellow and blue away kit as Fenerbache has yellow striped shirts. The red shirt and the bright blue shorts would look tasteless. (Just think what Tabs and Wolfie would have had to say!) The shorts worn seem to be the same dark blue color that is on the lower band on the sleeve of the home shirt, so perhaps the clubs has registered them as a third pair. As undershorts have to be the same colour as the shorts above, we probably have, and we may thus see them again. And when we win the CL this season, this will be the new lucky strip.
Well in, N7!
CoR, skip most of the above. Apparently we were wearing our alternative home kit. What happened to the simple days when clubs had only two strips? Now we even have an alternative third-choice kit. No wonder we don’t sign any new players. Dick Law is probably too busy not getting the laundry mixed up.
Morning all. Still don’t think Benzema at 40 mil is a good buy. He just doesn’t inspire me. I like beefcakes passion and team spirit. Not sure Benzema would ever do that.
Benz7, as I’m now calling myself…
Cheers all.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/team-news-koscielny-ryo-vermaelen
and
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-koscielny-is-a-player-we-made
“He’s like a boxer who had a hard fight the night before; lots of blood around his eye and a deep cut. He is suspended for Saturday anyway but let’s hope he recovers for next Tuesday [against Fenerbahce]. It will be short because the cut is very deep. Hopefully it will be alright.”
and later
“”He’s just another example of the trust we have in players when we bring them in. It was not a spectacular signing at the start but who would deny it today? hat’s why I’m absolutely sometimes surprised, with all the examples of players that have come here unknown and become great players, that the demand is just on getting big names. It’s important, big names, but there’s as well room for good players.”
Koscielny is a great success story for the Arsene’s approach and puts all the questions about his ability to spot and nurture central defenders to bed.
About Ryo, “He is back in full training now. He will be involved this season in the first-team squad. Hopefully very soon because he’s now getting fit.”
I know there are not many takers for Ryo in this bar, I think if he stays fit he will surprise a lot of people. He is still raw, but he got pace, quality and an extraordinary commitment …
Warning! Warning! Long lunch……….
We all care – two sides of the coin fair enough – but let’s stand together.
N7 Call yourself what you want – your heart is in the right place!
Can we please never boo our team again.
Now going out for dinner!!
Seriously, where is The Sweeper? I’m sure he said he will return when the season starts, guess he wants to come back when the transfer window must have closed. Anyway, if you’re reading this, Clive, you have been missed, come back soon.
Ryo and Diaby … like new signings.
That was just awful! You cannot see it from where you all are, but i’m punching myself in face. Fightclub like.
Dr F, please add vision to Ryo’s quality.
*Ryo’s qualities, even.
I saw Benzema in the flesh when he still played in France and he looked the real deal then.
You know, in the way that Gervinho never did. π
Dunno what may have happened to him in the interim, but I would be confident that he could bag goals for fun in the English game, where defences are frankly, rank rotten.
Been watching a bit of the Dynamo Tblisi-Totnum game and let me tell you this:
Dynamo Tblisi is one properly shit team.
Pies happened, zico. Pies.
Heh Cynic
Pies happened to Rooney too. And fags. And grannies.
Just saying,… π
Rumor on the guardian that Flamoney has been working out at London colney and AW is keen on getting him … on a FREE.
Assuming its true, not sure how i feel about that one.
Flamoney abonadoned AFC for more money. And just was released by Milan.
Homer,
Think he can fill in the squad as a decent utility player. Nothing more. He should NOT have any bearing in other signings.
Homer.
The “free” bit is true.
NorCal, fair point.
Probably being too hard on the player.
On his day, he is a fine midfielder.
Sky say Chelsea are gazumping the LWCs for Willian.
I’m very happy with Flamini back. Good, cheap squad player who can cover multiple positions.
Got to laugh though: he’s been training at Colney for weeks and it’s still taken us until end August to sign him. Says it all.
Rare football speak: heh, zico ‘he still played for France’? He hasn’t stopped, he just hasn’t scored in about 1,000 minutes or so for them.
N7, what that says, for me, is that we took our time to take a very good look at him before deciding to give him a contract.
Played in France Ollie, keep up. π
Flamini certainly ‘can’ play in several positions but will he deign to do so. One of the reasons he left before was because he only wanted to be a midfielder and was not interested in playing at full back where, at the time, he would probably have been a starter.
Had his one good season in midfield and left.
Decent player nonetheless.
What exactly didn’t ‘we’ know about him, Cent ?
He played here for four years.
Trev on Flamini. Well, for one thing his face looks wider when he wears a beard.
http://www.forzaroma.info/images/stories/Italiane/Milan/MathieuFlamini_752343.jpg
Either that or he’s been eating a lot of pasta. π
Oops, sorry zico.
Trev, I meant look at him as regards his fitness.
Altho its bound to upset quite a few, especially the way the media are playing the FREE bit so erm, subtlely! BUT Flamini makes loadsa sense, if only because the club/manager/Doris have been so utterly inept in making the signings we’ve all known we have needed since May.
As for the Benzema/Di maria rumours…. They wont happen.
We should have just singed Bent from Villa on a FREE!
trev @229, my guess is if he is going to stay, he’s already signed off on playing anything from goakeeper to the tea lady. perfect backup for arteta, yet another left back (and, iirc, he played rb a lot with milan). four years older and wiser, and at 29 should still have some grinta out there. my only concern with him, and given our medical staff, is his knee’s health.
thus, cent@234, if he can stay healthy and ready to be on the pitch, he’s a utilityman extraordinaire, and should be a real asset should he sign.
LWCS interested in Podolski? Wot about a Podolski/Defoe swap?
Some of us may remember swapping David Jenkins for Jimmy Robertson in nineteen hundred and frozen to death.
And Defoe was a gooner as a boy
ttg, defNO. i hear the cunts are interested in rooney’s granny too, but i don’t think he’ll let them shag her…
Saw those Poldi rumours.
No, no. Keep him! Keep for sure.
IF AFC sells Poldi, German international and arguably our best finisher to fucking spurs, THEN I’m done with football … permanently!
Right, right. Ttg is joking.
Long day, i must’ve missed it!
Ttg –
homer, i should hope he’s joking…frightening to think of a defoe for poldi swap. sick-making, actually.
We are not selling Podolski to Spurs.
But we ARE selling him.
Flamini was the best central midfielder playing left back in Europe back in the day. He’d be worth Β£4 million on the open market, the sort of value discount that would appeal to AW. He wouldn’t be at all a bad signing as a utility squad player, especially now. At 29 he’s seasoned without being completely clapped out. Don’t need to give him a long contract. He doesn’t have a club so needs a shop window.
I hope you’re wrong Cynic, but suspect you’re right.
Personally, if it happens, I’ll be disappointed.
Let me clarify that there have been suggestions that Spurs have enquired after signing Podolski.
I find Poldi frustrating and suspect he is not giving the same commitment as most of our other lads despite great talent.
Personally if Spurs did want him I think getting Defoe in exchange would be interesting but accepti n reality it would never happen.If Poldi leaves he will go to Germany
Defoe is a good predator and his movement is excellent.
I am happy with the Flamini deal IF he is a utility signing and not the DM we have been looking for. I would not rule that out though! If wenger did recruit him as our DM he would come under huge pressure simply because it looks like his vision is too limited. Hopefully he sees him as someone who can help us in a number of positions -at the moment Frimpong is our only available midfield on the bench
German press says Galatasaray and Wolfsburg also in for Poldi, along with the neighbours, but Shalke ’04 leading the pack for his signature.
I mentioned earlier that I’ve been travelling with work this week. By happy coincidence I was actually in Cologne and spoke with some FC Cologne fans – they were asking what I thought of Poldi, etc.
Their view was that if he moves back to play for another German club, particularly Schalke, it will be a monumental betrayal of Koln. Given Podolski’s love for the club (he has the badge tattooed on him IIRC) that seems a pretty big reason to think the rumours might be false. That said, not much loyalty in football these days.
Astonishing news on Poldi but hasn’t really seemed to be 100% with us since he arrived. Thought the ankle might have been the reason last season but in pre-season he still seemed to be running through treacle. Maybe his head is still in Germany.
Sometimes I wonder why everytime we ‘bench’ a player for a few games he’s linked away from the club, is it the same with other clubs?
One of the comments to the DPA article on Poldi opined that our football is too intricate to get the best out of him, and that with his pace and strength he is best suited to a counterattacking team.
btw, is he now cup-tied for the CL as he came on for a few minutes against Fenerbache, or don’t qualifying game count?
Fair enough NBN, so why did we sign him.
Presumably our scouts could have seen that. Could we not play to that strength when utilising him, and use Giroud for the more intricate, edge of the box link up play.
Plan B, I believe they call it.
I don’t think they count Ned. Would be sorry to see him go, still think he could offer more then we have seen so far.
I also wouldn’t be too disssapointed with Flamini coming in, but if he does, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for another DM to be recruited.
Selling Podolski would have nothing to do with lack of loyalty but it’s World Cup year and we appear to be looking for a left sided player and a striker, and he can’t get into the side when our squad is piss weak. He never did make much sense though, it was like we signed him had second thoughts and bought Giroud.
noel – was it 21 goals and 14 assists for Walcott last year? Mostly from wide? Not improved?
I must say that I will be pretty pissed of if we sell Poldi.
Flamini as a squad player makes perfect sense, especially on a free.
Flamini back in this season – ready to team up with Cesc again ?
Papers reporting Liverpool are expecting a Suarez bid from Madrid.
You’ve got to laugh. The scouse media mafia and club captain have spent the last month telling the world that Suarez “should be playing for Madrid or Barca”. Good luck walking that back!
Quite like a scenario where we get Benzema and Di Maria, Madrid get Suarez at the very end of the window and Liverpool, their corporatespeak babbling manager and their loudmouth owner get fucked. Royally.
Madrid to play with Bale, Ronaldo and Suarez.
They’ll all be falling each other up the left wing.
Hope it doesn’t mean Ronaldo back to Yanited.
I suggested that earlier N7. It would be so funny. Or they end up with another panic buy that does sod all.
Personally I would take Benzema over Suarez any day. Not just for footballing reasons either.
I’d have thought that with Ox sidelined this is a perfect chance for Poldi to get some games on the left.
Poldi-OG-Walcot
TR7/Cazorla-Whilshire/Ramsay-Flamini
Gibbs-Kos-BFG-Sagna
Sir Cheeseness
Eff me but that looks killer.
I still think AW is top notch, but why Poldi doesn’t see more game time is a head scratcher. Especially when TR7 or Cazorla or Feo are struggling.
Noel
What are we protesting? Is it the false lies?
Steve
I’m loving this twist. Time for Brendan to talk about “the project” again.
take it easy on him N7.
obvioulsy missed his meds!
oh look, it must be christmas. it’s the first noel.
no, wait. there’s the second noel, never mind. just our daily exposure to paranoid schizophrenia at the hands of the mnb.
David Brent is clueless. Can’t wait to see him at the Grove.
N7@202 “Benzeeeeeeeema!”
I think that should be:
Benzemaaaaaaaaa!
Stress on the last syllable.
*gives self a pedantry point*
Don’t feed the trolls.
We are not going to sign Benzema – never going to happen.
I see the Chavs have a new fan:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/22/bradley-manning-woman-chelsea-gender-reassignment
Flamini … good enough for Arsenal but not AC Milan? Just another Wenger compromise, useful in a treading water sort of way, but not to be mistaken for a step forward.
Oskar
dkgooner
I stress what I like
I stress what I liiiiiiiike
I’m N7 Gooner
I stress what I like
@ noel
You want the truth? You can’t HANDLE the truth. Son, we live in a world that has benches, and those benches have to be sat on by men with long zip up coats. Who’s going to do it? You? You Noel? The manager has a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Gonzalo Higuain and you curse Aaron Ramsey. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what Arsene knows, that Ramsey’s development, while slow, probably saved games. And Wenger’s existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves games. You don’t want the truth, because deep down – in places you don’t talk about at parties – you want Arsene on that bench. You NEED him on that bench.
ZeN7 – so cool.
One of my buddies is from Milan, life long, die hard Milanista.
Apparenlty, Flamini wanted 3 years and Milan wouldn’t give him that many at his age. And I think his wagers are a tad high (~ 75,000/wk). Not sure its a question of not good enough. There are the Seedorf and Gattuso and Maldini counterarguments, I get that.
But, keep in mind that Milan foolishly let Andrea Pirlo go to Juventus, about 2 years too early. Milan, hardly the gold standard of calling time on a player’s career, or abilities.
Flamini scored about 5 or 6 goals last time, a few key ones late in the campaign and kept Milan in the title race until late in the season, when they eventually lost the thread.
Round on me … grappa anyone??
A few good meN7.
Good stuff.
Ah yes.
The foolish, out of touch disaster area that is the longest serving manager in the prem, that guided the transition to the Emirates and that just resterday virtually guaranteed another year of CL football is a charlatan. A poser yet!
Nevermind that Real Madrid and PSG both tried to pry away our poser of a gaffer. We’re all fools!
And with that, I leave to the rest of the bar.
No takers on the grappa, eh?
Rapidly to the defense of N7 Gooner.
Grappa for me please Homer. And a toast to the gaffer himself. π
16 consecutive seasons of Champions League football, unless Fener match or better our result in Istanbul in London. A feat unlikely to be matched again by Arsenal or just about any other club you could name. The doubters will eventuallly recognise these 16 years as the special years they have been, no matter the tripe they come out with now.
Roland from Grange Hill?
‘holic, please don’t remove 276.
MNB telling an other they’re only fooling themselves.
Priceless.
According to The Telegraph every member of the worldwide scouting network (in other words Gilles Grimandi in France) was asked for five names for every position in the squad, which Rowley would then condense into a top five for each position before we made any kind of decision on who to go for.
Now if that is true, and assuming our world wide scouting network is a bit more than just Gilles Grimandi in France, what a complete fuck up of a way to do things. No wonder it takes forever to do a deal, it takes so long to collate all the info we run out of time.
If that really is true it’s time someone got a hold of the situation. And if we HAVE TO run things in such a cack handed way we could at least cut down on the paper work by asking each scout for three names instead of five.
Jesus…
homer, a bit of arancello, if you don’t mind. a small bit of forgetfulness that arsene has been wanted by other, “greater” clubs.
they *all* must be fools.
gee, cynic, according to my friend’s auntie’s left nut what arsene really uses is a ouija board. that’s what takes so long, the spirits have to spell out each and every potential transferee’s name…no WONDER we’re never in for anyone.
@ 280 – Manchester United and Real Madrid have more consecutive seasons of CL qualification, I think.
Cynic @ 285
Think Utd have more consecutive seasons in the competition, but we’ve more consecutive seasons getting beyond the group stage.
Cynic @284, how that qualifies as a stick with which to beat the club/Arsene is beyond me.
How interesting, scruz. How very amusing. Very funny. Are you Lenny Henry in disguise?
N7 @286, correct, the record is 13 consecutive times and we own it.
Cent
I heard Arsene has insisted on guessing each scout’s five names. Won’t start spending until he finally does it. No way to organise a summer transfer spree.
Heh @290. Word on the streets is that he’s on the 67th scout now 259 more to go, slow and steady.
Oh I forgot… silly me. Can’t mention anything that could be construed as remotely critical of Arsene Wenger when the AKBs are around, no matter where it is reported or who writes the article.
I should wait for my audience to be more balanced and objective.
Keep tugging those forelocks chaps.
Laters. Or not.
Thanks for the explanation NBN about the kits, and Doctor Faustus I too hope we will get to see more of Ryo this year.
For the life of me I don’t understand why a move for Podolski seems to be in the works. I thought this was supposed to be the summer where people only come in?
I’d welcome Flamini back as free backup. I think it could work. And if it does, more transfer money to spend on other areas that need strengthening….
8ball and n7 you both are on tab and its my pleasure.
Molto grazie senori!!
Get over yourself, Cynic, it’s all good to criticise Arsene, or anybody else for that matter, as we are all fallible beings but to criticise people for been careful with something that involves millions of other people’s money and emotions is a little bit below the belt, surely?
Oh and great post at 272 Zen7!
Btw, the Zen is strong in this one.
I wonder if you can out-Zen me though? π
…Does a one-two with CoR…
Alright now. But after this i really must go.
Perfection is the mortal enemy of excellence. (quote from famous person whose name escapes me).
By the boo boyz logic, b/c Arsene is not the best, he is necessarily the worst? And in need of sacking? Absurd
These same “deep thinkers” seem to think that AW must go.
And who takes his place? Yes yes .. To this question they have no response. In the age of anonymous internet vigilanteism, its easy to vent and complain – destructively. Nothing positive coming from this lot.
Reality, sweet cheeks, is that this is sport. Thats why they play the games because on any given day anything can happen.
So, when you’ve all hit puberty and have attained the ability to 1) think critically and 2) hold two inconsistent thoughts in your tiny minds at one time (without yer heads exploding) you may, finally, get it.
And now i bid you all a buon note.
Gooollaaazzzzooooo
Thanks for the assist, Homer, bon nuit!
Hmmm, is Benzema being put up for sale because he’s a shit-stirrer?
http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/real-marid-put-benzema-up-for-sale-just-as-arsenal-bid-for-him-ho
sorry, cynic, more like soupy sales. *pushes cream pie onto cynic’s face* π
and criticise wenger all you want. homer is the one who really gets it: who do we replace him with that would do a better job?
and, if he is removed as manager, does he leave the club altogether? or does he move to the board? remember, various chairmen have suggested he has a place at arsenal for life.
boy, wouldn’t *that* chap some arsene-out hides.
see ya later!
I would cry with happiness if we get di-maria.. he is exactly the kind of player we are dying for. He is what gervinho with supreme confidence and intelligence could become…
And because when he scores, im going to sing this :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpdB6CN7jww
Happy Friday pretty people !
A winger on one side that can beat his man and put in a decent cross? Yes please.
So I’m five years behind the times. Some articles are just more entertaining than others. Has anybody checked to see whether the transvestite lumberjacks at Newcastle have come to fruition?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/european/2713139/Fabien-Barthez-shares-goal-with-Monty-Python…-the-Meaning-of-Life-Football.html
But I digress. π
Cynic, whats with this labelling of people as ‘AKB’s’? I really, really despise such lazy terminology.
As ever a worthwhile if slightly depressing read from Yogi’s blog.
http://www.aclfarsenal.co.uk/2013/08/23/12387/?
I have to say having slept on things following the euphoria of Wednesday and the news of Flamini I very much empathise with the comments from ConsolBob. I still remain sceptical our negotiating process works effectively and the interactions are disastrous.
I give them eleven days to prove me wrong as I so often am.
Just the very fact of leaving the development of your team for a 9 month season until that season has actually begun with no certainty of what your team will look like is a very flawed approach in my view- and I don’t actually believe following the Higuain and Suarez bids it was meant to be that way. They are spinning a tale to suit the circumstances.
As Blogs put it this morning, the Arsenal management are “making it up as they go along”. Course they are, look at Flamini, the godsend that has fallen into Arsene’s lap.
I wouldn’t complain if we got him either, at the moment it’s a choice between him and, er, “how do those fiddly transfer thingies work again?”
How Arsenal fans amaze me. I was expecting to here guys kicking against this Flamini idea but instead people are happy with it as if it’s the next best thing after Thiery Henry. How Wenger has turned us into mediocres.
Flamini was the first person to destroy our growing midfield combo of Cesc-TR7-Hleb-Flamini, which was getting solid n better, averaging 60-70% ball possession, 80% completed passing, 10-15 defence splitting passing per match in 2008-2009 season. At that time d Adebayors of this world could afford to miss 3 one on one situation with d goalkeeper per match n still score 30 goals in a season. The only reason we didn’t win d league then was Wengers allowing Henrik Larson to join Man U instead of getting him in to replace Eduardo, n also refusing to get Benayoun to replace d injured Rosicky. Because of Flamini we had to sell Lassana Diarra to Portsmouth. But after one good season, just like Nasri n RVP he left n destroyed our midfield formation.
Now that he knows that he is not that beautiful bride any more he came back, n Wenger seeing that Flamini met some of his criteria of top quality player i.e He is free n French, he wants him in, n Arsenal supporters are happy. An ambitious team would have gone for Mikel Obi, Gustavo, Felianni, Tiote or Khadiera, but we didn’t. Why, bcos they are not free n also not French.
If Wenger were Bayern Munich coach he’ll not like to see Alcantara, Gotze, Kroos n Schwarztieger in the same team. He rather sell three of them and make money for d club.
If Wenger really respect the fans, he will not bring back guys that turned their backs at d fans when we needed them d most, just bcos they are free n French. Fuck it! But if that’s d case we should expect Adebayor n Nasri back someday.
Fuck Flamini! Fuck Wenger! Fuck Spurs! Love Arsenal.
TTG, You ‘remain sceptical our negotiating process works effectively’? Wow, that is generous. I’d put it more like this: they’re either utterly hopeless or they haven’t bid for anyone yet. Considering they’re probably highly experienced business heads I find the first one hard to believe – I honestly think I could do a better job than they have, and I have zero experience in anything related to finance and all that jazz.
All the above points to a plan, I find it almost impossible to believe that all the failed bids are genuine attempts to bring in fresh faces.It seems inconceivable that Dick Law would return to the Ems and have the following conversation repeatedly:
IG: So how’d it go? Did you sign him?
DL: Um, no actually [looks nervously at own feet], I came in at 30% of they’re valuation and they said no, amazingly.
IG: Bizarre! Oh well, you tried, and that’s what counts. Off you go and see if Real will accept this Β£50 note for Benzema. Ooh, and chuck in this Arsenal desk toy as a sweetener.
DL leaves.
IG sits back with a smug, self-congratulatory smile on his face, rubbing his hands together.
IG [to self]: You’ve done it again, you sly old dog. [lights a cigar at the wrong end]
.
Sorry Esso, it was late and I hate a failure of the imagination.
Had, not hate. A telling typo perhaps.
Or maybe it’s
IG – How’d it go, Dick, did you get him?
DL – No, they rejected our bid out of hand.
IG – Wowsers, gee and gawsh, they must be crazy if they think we’re going to bid more than Β£20m for a keeper
DL shuffles his feet nervously
IG – What’s up Dick? *chews carrot*
DL – Well… um… I dunno how to tell you this, Ivan. The bid was Β£6m
IG – What? You had authorisation to go to Β£20m. We need a keeper and Sanchez Pancho fits the bill. We all agreed. We even got the manager to green light the player
DL – Well yeah, but when I was in negotiations I had to keep answering my phone to talk to Arsene. I started out at Β£20m but in the end he knocked me down to six. It was the hardest negotiation I’ve ever had and when I put that to Valencia they chucked me out of the building.
d fans d fans!
Heh PR @311.
Morning hopefuls.
Nice ‘re-imagining’ Cynic!
“What’s up Dick?” Heh! And heh again.
OK, here’s a couple more thoughts.
So, Blogs is nwo pointing up failures in our ability to negotiate. Fair play, he can no longer complain about us not offering a new deal to Flamini.
Any business we do in this window will be late. Let’s assume that we save Β£5m per player that way. If we are going for players at around Β£15m each, we’d be able to get in four rather than three.
*Removes rose-tinted glasses*
Pangloss, the Β£5m late discount only applies to players that clubs are keen to offload. It may simply be rhetoric but we have been generally said to be bidding for players with years on their contracts whose clubs are on balance keener to keep them than to lose them. The discount therefore applies in reverse. As we run out of time, we will certainly have to pay well over the odds to get these players and I suspect it will be closer to Β£10m over the odds rather than Β£5m over the odds. It’s a fucked up strategy for me. The only logic to it was that suggested by KVC yesterday. Let PSG, Monaco, Chavski and $hitteh spunk their wads before showing your interest and avoid getting gazumped like we have been for years like with Hazard, Mata, Essien, Czech etc etc.
I think I will go with Bath and KVC’s theory.
We’ve offered Flamini a new deal and probably on more money than he asked for last time. Is five years a new low in protracted contract negotiations? π
Cynic@320. TouchΓ©. Damn you Dick Dastardly.
π
I knew he will bring fun to England again:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2400275/Gareth-Bales-Real-Madrid-danger-Chelsea-hijack-Spurs-Willian-move.html
OOOH that will scare the special prick!
Maybe we should bid for Willian as well just to see Levy’s head explode π
Would not mind if we actually sign him either π
Yes Alan, but the car isn’t running that well as long as it is you who hold the keys π
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/334163/You-can-t-drive-off-my-Cab-Alan-Pardew-hopes-to-hold-onto-Yohan-Cabaye-at-Newcastle
By the way, should I go and start negotiating with a bid above the asked price???
I think silly season takes his toll on some braincells in some managerheads
Porco Rosso
I was being measured and conservative.
I try to avoid listening to Wenger press conferences nowadays but I did hear SSN today where he is actually making a virtue out of our transfer approach as if it is the optimal way to do it .
Sorry I’m not convinced by his protestations.
They have made a horlicks out of this window just as they did two years ago. I can’t remember a window where I felt we came out of it well for a very long time.
The interesting idea which Pangloss advances of us trying to buy more players is a theory but no more than that. Buying an extra player will probably cost us Β£12.5 million in wages so does that make economic sense. No team in their right mind play a window like this one.
I’m a bit disturbed that after a disappointing defeat on Saturday the Gooner world went into meltdown and after an encouraging win against a team who would have struggled to beat Rochdale Spannerworks reserves the world is alright again because Arsene has promised signings. Very few fans have any confidence that we have the vision or competence to make the right signings.I’m one of them!
I’m not greatly excited by Benzema,Cabaye or Di Maria ,Flamini’s imminent arrival has not affected my heartbeat and while Bender,Kondogbia or Fellaini might get me a bit excited I don’t see us getting any of these. I’m also a bit perplexed about loaning Podolsk. Why not sell players rather than lose their transfer value and fail to cover the cost of their wages fully?
And running the squad down still further before signing anyone?-pure folly
Afternoon all.
I,m not taking sides, but if you say that it is lazy to call someone an AKB (which I agree with) then by the same standards it is also shortsighted to ask “who could do a better job”.
I’m not saying that x should replace y, juzt saying it’s a bit defeatest to think that there is no one out there that could give it a go. I mean, how many of us knew about Wenger before he joined?
I’ll stick with Bath on this one the price for wanted players will go up not down for that matter:
Plenty of time on his contract, decent player so if you really want him pay up end of and guess what? You have 24 hours to decide!
You can only assume our targets were impossible to buy (i.e. way beyond our budget) what else could have caused this issue?
Now as Arsene has said the other day we are looking for numbers not the quality as we already have that, which really makes me laugh. Comments like these should never meet the public eye especially from him. I know he likes to play his cards real close but the whole summer was spent doing the tour rather then buying decent talent.
Great win Against Fener no questions asked but injuries haunt us as usual and we will look bear if we don’t sign anyone decent. Not only one or two players we need about four or five!
TTG
You’re right about the see-sawing of emotions.
Obviously, the truth is somewhere between the extremes of “we’re fucked and the manager should resign” (last Sunday) and “all is well, the manager is a glowing god” (Thursday morning).
At the end of the day, if we make some good signings in the next 10 days it won’t matter too much that we lost to Villa, and if we don’t make good signings then the result against Fener will fade into relative insignificance.
The boss does seem to be making the right noises though, and I think we can take a little encouragement from that.
Fully agree with N7@328. The truth always lies inbetween the somewhat knee-jerky immediate reactions after games.
And quite frankly I am beyond giving a single fuck about what Arsene (or Gazidis for that matter) says at this point. It’s all about action from here on in, and he’s not going to tell us anything worthwhile before any deals are actually done so he can stand up at press conferences singing Kumbaya for all I care. But if we don’t buy ayone it won’t be because Arsene doesn’t realise that we need players, there is no way a manager at that level can fail to see what we all can see. It’s not rocket science, it’s just being able to count up to about 25.
I agree with Lars and the zen Master.
I agree with zico @ 330. Brilliant, pure dead brilliant.
Very interesting analysis here.
http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/30474?
Might explain our chance of getting Benzema – certainly justifies the attempt.
Well played H2H for having the patience, resilience and wit to keep plugging away in the face of such one-eyed nitwittery – truly i’d massively enjoy the opp to buy thee one in the tollie sometime.
Home from me hollibobs and orf for a pint – it’s an ‘ard life xx.
Up The Arse!
Wake me up when anything interesting happens (i.e a signing π ).
It seems there are more drinks than ever but I read less than ever.
In fact, avoiding any football speak on the internet is good for the health.
Just watching games, and keeping a very distant look at transfer headlines. None of it makes any sense.
Off to London in a bit, Fulham tomorrow. See some of you (well, just snowy I guess :D) there!
I’m just enjoying watching some old DVDs during my time off.
Bath, really interesting link at 332.
TTG
When I said, ‘Wow, that is generous’, it was meant in a sincere way – although on rereading I realise it sounds pretty sarcastic!
I think we can all agree that something like 98% of what comes out of Wenger’s mouth on this topic can be taken as throwaway comments. I fully share your concerns over our inability to make quality signings – I’ll be genuinely surprised if we get what we ‘need’.
As for Benzema and Di Maria, I’d be happy to see them arrive. That probably says more about my incomplete knowledge of them than my reaction to your opinion. Or perhaps the complete lack of movement has got me (and Wenger and his band) grasping at straws.
Only time will tell, and personally I think I’d do well to spend more time contemplating a pint than second-guessing the most tight-lipped and coy managers we know!
Pint of your choice on the bar. Chaser just next to it.
…’manager’, not ‘managers’…
“I am confident [of new signings]. The desire of the players to join us [makes me confident] and the fact that we have – maybe not as much as everyone writes – but we have some funds available to do the transfers.”
βIdeally I would rather have the squad in place at the start of the season and I am a big fan to cancel the transfer window at the start of the season anyway.
βOnce the season has started you should be capable to focus on the quality of your play and have everybody with the same players for the whole season – it makes sense.
βWe work very hard on it and it didn’t come off as quickly or as well as we wanted, but in football you have to deal with any situation and be patient. So as long as the transfer [window] is open, until the last minute anything can happen on many fronts.”
Am I the only one who saw this quotes or is it just more convenient to ignore them and believe the narrative that the club doesn’t have any intention of or have not been working on bringing in players?
You’re not the only one to have seen these quotes, Cent
You may, however, be the only one to forget that people read what they want to read.
π
Cent,
The quotes are lovely. The trouble is we’ve heard them all so many times before.
I mostly agree with Lars and N7 and zico above but,
“It won’t matter much that we lost at home to Aston Villa” …..
Really ? Maybe we can just wallop Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to make up for it then …….
Ah, Pangloss, my bad.
Trev, fair enough, but with a stroke of luck we can avoid Chelsea on our way to winning the Ucl and F.A. Cup and the COCup, surely? π
Cent,
Thanks for sharing your knowledge but I believe we were talking about points dropped in the Premier League.
Or do they get reinstated if we win a round of the COCup ?
Porco Rosso
No offence taken whatsoever,I knew exactly what you meant. I think we are seeing things through a very similar lens.
I’ve just put one for you on the bar!
Cent
What Trev said plus I think Wenger is treading a tightrope of credulity( Hark at me!). He has to deliver and deliver top ,top,qualidee. If he doesn’t a lot of people will be very unhappy. I will be one.
Walk the Walk Arsene!
Trev @ 341
Obv three lost points is three lost points. What I mean is that no one will bang on about it too much if we spend Β£80m on quality players. We’re only a point worse off than last season, after all.
Equally, champs league qualification will still matter if we spend nothing. Just not as much – it won’t pacify anyone.
You silly holics, we’ve been called ‘ pretty’ (GPN) and none of you lot took notice! “You see me standing by the record machine, I’m not the worst you’ve seen. Might as well, JUMP! ~ Van Halen π Good Friday Everyone π Nice write up, Sir Holic.
Abb, That would be HERE by the record machine. π
Ollie @334, especially the second line: it seems you have some sanity about you. π
… and it looks like the dot con has provided some excellently useful information for States-side TV viewers:
http://www.arsenal.com/usa/news/features/where-to-watch-arsenal
That’s Fulham v. Arsenal on the NBCSN quite early on the morrow.
Yes 8ball! Oh, love that song!!! π
Is it my imagination or have the posts on this veritable blog become more “a la Le Grove” lately?
Of course AW will produce the goods for us. I’m not prepared to accept anything less and nor will he! No one of note was going to sign for us until our CL status was clear, remember the Arteta situation 2 years ago and look how he turned out.
Keep the faith Gooners.
Delia, what is intriguing is that Arsene came right out and refuted IG’s claims re the amount of money we have at our disposal to spend. As you suggested many drinks ago, this transfer window has all the twists and turns, of a thriller π Loaning out Poldi on face value, is shocking. But if we were to dig deeper … all roads lead to Rome π
Delia
I’m broadly a pro Arsene kid, but even the most negative post on here doesn’t come near Le Groan levels of negativity. No one is wishing cancer on the manager, or calling him a c**t for openers.
That site would make me ashamed to be a Gooner if I didn’t remind myself that the pond life who frequent it, and the mug who operates it, are the sorts of drooling, knee jerking edge cases that every club is cursed with. Hopefully puberty will hit at some point.
Great standard of debate on here, by way of contrast, and the more negative voices are an important element – the questions they raise are sensible and clearly expressed, and they’re clearly passionate about the club. I don’t always agree, but I can generally see where they might be coming from.
Trev, I actually meant to cheer us up by suggesting that if we don’t win the EPL we can, by some stroke of luck, win the UCL, F.A. Cup and COCup.
TTG, I too will be unhappy if he fails to deliver by the end of this transfer window.
Have a great weekend, Abb and everybody.
Jack quoted as saying he might not stay if Arsene were to leave. Suspect that was intended to show his support for the boss, suspect it may not be taken that way.
Oh Cent, you too. xx You always are so well spoken.
Delia.
I think we are a tad more constructive than Le Grove on here but I don’t accept your point about no-one signing for you if you’re not in the CL. Look (sadly I say it) at Soldado,Paulinho and Capoue (and Vertonghen the year before) I think they are all at least as good as Arteta who has been a decent signing but is not a world-class player.They won’t play in the CL this year.
I think the key thing is selling a player the vision and direction of the club and we don’t tend to do this unless Wenger gets involved in the negotiation (remember the signing of Ramsey where he persuaded to sign for us rather than ManUre)
Very well said N&. Totally agree about the difference between the two sites.
If Arsenal fans were all completely content at this point in time it would indicate to me they neither knew or cared about what is going on! There’s a long way to go before the club convinces me it knows exactly where its going but if they do I will be delighted.
Well, must take a nap. If this were a ‘real’ pub, holics would intermingle more. So many folks here that we would all like to chat it up with. The link @ 332, coutesy of Bath, is what I believe frightens AW (and it should all of us). Worth a look. Till later, my pretties π
Sorry N7!
ABB-I saw this earlier but tend to discount almost anything that comes out of that site as they are slightly nutty conspiracy theorists there!
But this makes a very sensible point
Ttg, yes it does. I wish Zico would talk about what has happened to the Scottish League. Bad things happening in Italy as well. Greece, forget about it. Portugal, Spain … just like what led up to WW2. Domino effect. Must go, but thanks for your insight.
Loaning Poldi when we have such a threadbare squad is madness! also the fact that chelski buyin willian (lol at spuds n l’pool) surely means that one of mata/oscar/hazard/de bruyne is surplus to requirements? If indeed they’re available , Arsene i implore you to buy the one let go by the incomprehensible nutter mourinho..
Loaning Poldi when we have such a threadbare squad is madness! Welcome the return of flamini..Guy was a good player and god knows we need cover at dmf.But not under a contract where we’re fleeced. What intrigues me is the fact that chelski buyin willian (lol at spuds n l’pool) surely means that one of mata/oscar/hazard/de bruyne is surplus to requirements? . If indeed they’re available , Arsene i implore you to buy the one let go by the incomprehensible nutter mourinho..
Where is this talk of loaning Poldi coming from? We sold Grevinho and now Oxlade is out for some months and you guys seriously think we will loan Poldi out? There are some rumours we shouldn’t even be giving second thoughts.
I cannot really believe that Arsenal is loaning out Poldi!
Flam had a solid last season at Milan, he’ll do well for us. That will likely turn out as a savvy move by the gaffer.
Yes, and anyone who thinks chels would sell oscar or Hazard to us … i’d like a little of whatever you’re drinking!
No no, … stay above the fray until Sept. Thats the ticket.
abb — people have been expressing those uncertainties and concerns for a long time, and I agree to a great extent that the ridiculous bubble of European top leagues’ economy too will burst (with a bang or with a whimper, but current state of affair is not sustainable as there are not enough oil-money buyers in the world) sooner or later and yes we are much better placed than most clubs to come out of it relatively unscathed.
However, we should never underestimate the survival instinct of irrationality. π If Barca and RM are to come under pressure from the Spanish banks — which I doubt, they are national institutes above anything else and both the Spanish and local Catalan governments would know better than messing around with the cultural lifeblood of the populace — in case of Spain’s economy going down the Greek path, we shouldn’t be surprised if fans, rich and poor, put together money from their savings to save those clubs.
Lot of other clubs may suffer greatly though. The whole Spanish system is so overwhelmingly rigged in the favor of the big two — TV rights are a great example — that only some sort of catastrophe would force the Spanish federation to take a closer look.
I hope you’re right cent.
Cheers all.
Everyone, please come down about Poldi’s loan. As you all pointed out that would be a madness given the current state of the squad. The Arsenal web-site indirectly alludes to the fact by making Poldi the ‘centerpiece’ of the practice photographs and even talking about Poldi fighting to regain the first eleven birth. Yes, I get that it is official-speak and all, but evidently that very pointed reference is to address these rumors indirectly without giving those any credence.
To be brutally honest, Poldi just doesn’t look fit. He started the season very well last year but after the ankle injury he just doesn’t run fast enough and doesn’t fight enough for the ball. He is a fantastic player IMHO, someone whose club career never really reached teh heights he was capable of and I don’t think — unless there is some greater attitude problem which is unlikely the case given his popularity and the perennial smile on face — Arsene is in the habit of losing patience so quickly after one mixed season.
abb The final chapter will provide a fascinating finale, pity about all the red herrings along the way but am confident that there will be a happy ending. The plot was never going to be straight forward with the current list of characters at the Ems.
ttg Who knows what incentives were on offer up the road, it does look rather like a buy now pay later policy on the basis that the Welshman will recoup their outgoings. Arteta, in my view, was our best player last season and was sorely missed last Saturday for his leadership skills and positional play. Ramsey probably thought AW was a better bet for not only developing a very young player but being given a chance in the first team squad whilst still very inexperienced. Rambo really looks the business after a super pre-season.Very glad he chose to be a Gooner.
N7 It’s the recent bout of negative posts that disappoint me. As you probably know I’m one of the older drinkers in this bar and have seen it all before, several times since the 50s. Let’s reserve our condemnation of the boss (if needed) until after 2nd Sept. Perhaps I need to clean my rose coloured specs ! Think positively Holics.
As always COYRs
Uncritical positivity is as useless and irrational as persistent negativity, and ultimately as destructive and counterproductive. The range of opinion in this bar is exactly what makes it a pleasure to read the contributions and the debate and disagreements provide perspectives that certainly broaden my understanding of where we stand and what we might achieve.
A diet of persistent positivity would be extremely suffocating IMHO.
Credit for that has to go to the Host who facilitates and ensures civilised communication.
A bottle of Glenfarclas 15 yo is on the bar and a bottle of Highland Spring to add a wee touch of water for all in the bar.
Thanks for the drink, Bath.
N7, ttg,
Quite agree with your response to Delia about Le Groan.
Love your usual positivity Delia but that honestly was not one of your wiser remarks.
To compare this place with Le Groan ……….. really ?
Our Buy One Get One Free transfer policy seems to be holding up nicely.
Could someone remember to actually ‘buy one’ though.
Cheers. π
Bloody well said, bath.
And that 15 year old Glen Fussyarse can have all the water he wants. π
Home rule for Fife, Zico for Laird O’ The Mantle Fringed Wi’ Gold and “unlimited uncritical positivity” all get my vote, Bath. The unbridled negativity that currently prevails after a doubtful defeat and a couple of injuries is, as my grandmother used to say (she was a refined lady, from Morningside, you understand) “enough to give my arse the toothache”
I’m on the League and Cup double at 60-1. Life’s for living. Let uncritical positivity rein – and you can’t get much more uncritically positive than that. π
Will I see you at Fulham or Fenerbahce games perchance?
Och, I see it’s a broad, bricht moonlicht nicht aroond here tonicht.
Who’s roond is it ?
*bar empties instantly* π
Funny isn’t it. I’d hate it if we bought Bent,Parker or Taraabt but am seriously concerned at the damage they might do us tomorrow. Again I wondered after last week if we might have one or two reinforcements for this one. Surely they will arrive by the NLD??
Story re Flamini apparently is that Wenger wants to announce a proper signing before Arsenal.com announce him. Trev’s BOGOF idea might be correct but Arsene needs to kickstart it by actually buying someone first !.
Nurse Abb @ 5:39
There is more chance of me sharing a pint with multi name boy in a real bar than there is of me spiking the drinks in here, spraffing about Scottish football.
On much more serious matters, great to see the Reverend back from the Holy Land @ 333 – he’s half devil, you see π
Heh @377.
Half devil/ half angel. Reminded me of animal house. Stay pious AL. You will still get the girl in the end. Oh!
Willian signs with Chelsea, who needed just one more willie. Spurs left out in the cold. Good to see an active Scots contingent in here today.
BtM @374 – sadly I cannot make those two games. But I’m feeling really positive about them which is all the more rational for being an intermittent unforced reaction balanced by occasional negative vibes. π Enjoy.
Bathgooner, were you at Villa last Saturday? Now that I think about it, there may have been someone around the Holics who was you… 8)
Oh yeah, I bought an NLD ticket in the very early hours of Thursday morning, funny that I tried to buy one earlier in the week that was more expensive but Firefox froze and I lost the contents of my basket, now I’ve got the cheapest one possible! π
Hopefully a return to the Lower Tier will end my accursed losing streak at the Emirates for now (4 games since February)… π
Remember the days when I was going to game, it was a guaranteed home win? Those were the days… π
Haha, those were the days indeed, hopefully you(we) will have better luck this time around.
Thanks Cent π
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