Thomas And Tomas In The News
May 14th, 2015 by 'holic
This has been a strange day for Arsenal news wise. Most amusing is the story that we are set to profit by around £3m if Barcelona beat Juventus in the Champions League Final as a result of a clause in the Thomas Vermaelen deal.
Of course that is made more remarkable by the fact that the former Gunners skipper has yet to kick a ball in anger for his new employers, having only just returned from a long term hamstring injury. Sorry Juve fans, but I’ll be rooting for Barca in that Final.
There is the usual range of transfer rumours which suggest that nothing much else is happening. Speculation, regulars will tell you, is not really my bag, but one potential move reported by the Star caught my eye. Tomas Rosicky, out of contract in the summer, could be set to return to his former club, Sparta Prague.
At 34 he isn’t likely to secure a regular starting place at the Grove, but in 2013, and 2014, I thought him one of the key players, a positive driving force from midfield in the second-half of both seasons. It would be a shame to lose that gift.
I know he has spent long periods out through injury since joining us nine years ago. His 28 goals and 244 appearances should ensure him a wonderful ovation at the end of the season if it is to be his last in an Arsenal shirt.
Hopefully Tomas will be in the squad to face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday. Arsene revealed today that Mathieu Debuchy, Mikel Arteta, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will not. Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey will face late tests before that squad is finalised.
Should Rambo be fit I wonder what the odds are that we might have the same starting line-up for the sixth Premier League match in succession?
Although still ruled out the Ox has spoken to Arsenal Player about the match on Sunday.
“You can definitely take confidence from any win at Old Trafford. It’s a hard place to go and win, especially against a good Manchester United side. It will be a tough game but we can take positives from our last trip there in the FA Cup and the win that we managed to come away with.”
A third win in Manchester in a season? That would be something. Come back on Saturday evening for a preview and the ‘holic pound.
Cheers ‘holics.
63 Responses to “Thomas And Tomas In The News”
Evening all. Can I suggest we let the topics of Mesut and Theo drop for a couple of days. I think we know who has what opinion by now, and I don’t see anyone being persuaded from what they believe.
Respectful debate please, all.
Thank you.
Cheers H! And nice one.
Cheers Esso,
Best to you and the family.
Drink for Vermaelen’s agent. 🙂
well in, holic.
i’d be disappointed if tomas isn’t offered another year or two. he’s always got such a positive impact on the game; i am not sure he wouldn’t have been as good or better than jack replacing aaron against swansea. he does seem to be on a good wavelength with santi, and that’s always a help…you know, those automatisms per was talking about.
i didn’t realize until your post tvBarca was out all year. sure glad we fobbed him off, and while i’d like the £3 million, i just can’t let juve down by supporting barca…besides, remember, BMBD, right?
Nice one Guvna. I think it’s worth £3m to see Farca fail.
Didn’t Rosicky sign a two-year contract extension in 2014, taking him to the end of the 2015-16 season? Or is my memory failing me in my dotage?
Martinez, Flamini and Diaby are, I think, the only three out of contract at the end of this season.
And if Farca don’t fail we’ll take the 3 mil. Win-win!
Nice one H.
Evening Holic.
Totally agree about Tomas and his contribution over the last couple of seasons. It’s been disappointing not to see more of him this season. Monday night cried out for his drive and positivity – very frustrating to see him warming up for most of the match and still not getting on.
It must be so frustrating for him but there’s never a word of complaint from him or his ‘people’.
One of the good guys.
You are not wrong, Trev.
As ever. 😉
ned, you are right. i thought he was out of contract based on some comments here earlier in the season.
there was also talk in march of a “contract extension”, and its being made a factor in whether he’d be here or not next year.
http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/23/arsenal-midfielder-tomas-rosicky-to-open-contract-extension-talks-after-international-break-5117508/
but yes, looking at transfermarkt his contract ends 6/30/16.
Not sure anyone else noticed but the emoticons seem to have gotten smaller and harder to see. 🙁
Rosicky for contract extension and lord mayor. 🙂
Who is this Diaby chap that people speak of????
TR7, another go-forward player we’ve seen all too little of. Sad that. Good luck to him whenever whatever wherever. He’s been a credit to the club at all times.
Is Verm fit enough for us to exercise any buy-back option we might have? 😀 If nothing else his cannon shots from deep have been sadly missed. Very few strikes from outside the box these days, still trying to walk it in most of the time.
On form we are the better team currently, but when did form ever play a part in OT games? Oh yes, last time we played there! We done it once we can do it again. I just hope we start positively and get more luck than we had against the swans. 3 goals up by half-time should do it. Only 2 and I’ll start to worry…
Öskar
BMBD, indeed Scruz, BMBD. Long live masters Rosicky & Diaby
BMBD
I read that Manure are positing selling RvP and ADM to make way for Bile. Not RvP in a million years, but Di Maria is a much better player than he’s shown under Lois van Gargle. Still young(ish) at 27. Might satisfy those who lack confidence in He-who-must-not-be-named, either as a direct replacement or to play on the left allowing Alexis to switch wings. And shouldn’t be a lot of diff in relative transfer fees.
Just a thought.
Öskar
The only reason TR7 would leave is if he is not getting any playing time, which is alarmingly becoming a reality. If he started down the right against Young and Rojo etc. he would give those two a very unpleasant time by using Bellerin’s pace. The role that Arsene is trying Rambo to play on the right (a kind of insider right) TR7 quietly excels at, giving protection to the full-back when needed, press relentlessly, and choose the moments to cut inside but otherwise team-up with the full back to great effect. His memorable goal against Spurs in that first 5-2 (the third goal) at Emirates was a great example.
A great player and a model professional. If you read the interviews of the young players in the club they always mention what a tremendous influence and guide TR7 and MA8 are on the training ground and in the dressing room, as much by what they do and how they conduct themselves.
rest in peace, bb king.
http://youtu.be/BXsusJ787sU
… the King is dead.
but his music lives on!
We should make a bid for Vermy.. to add some depth in our defence.. can never have enough good CBs! 😀
That Pogba chap isn’t bad too.. although the last game he looked a lil out of it.. probably coming back from injury….!
..and finally some news on our end.. Welback seems out of the MU match… more’s the pity.. would be another opportunity to show them what they missed.
Who is this Diaby chap that people speak of????
He’s the guy who has been taking all of our, ‘He’ll never play but give him a new contract AND a pay rise’ charity fund for the last seven years.
Hahha cynic, totally.
I agree about Rozza, model professional, wonderful player but time to go. He should somehow be convinced to come back as soon as he finishes playing for the club could use his valuable experience in more ways than one. Can we insert a clause in his release clause like that????
Sunday presents an opportunity to beat the manures again. Tall order considering for them it is a must win and based on the way we played on monday. Again monday maybe a one off but i do sense tiredness all over the pitch and with no imminent return of anyone to install freshness or pace, this game looks set for shrek and co, until we out do ourselves. Sorry not sounding defeatist but just dont feel right for the game.
I agree on the Di Maria part, he coming to us presents a fantastic opportunity and a world class replacement to theo( sorry had to mention).
Ramsey is fit and that is good news but do sense it is time to play jack than him from now on till the end of the season. Arsenal need to win the 2 home games and if we get anything on sunday, third place is done.
Top 23. Promotion material but please don’t force me into the playoffs!! 🙂
Vinay @ 22: “…, wonderful player but time to go”, and then “no imminent return of anyone to install freshness or pace”. Doesn’t quite compute, does it? 🙂
Or are you saying that you don’t quite think that TR7 can install either freshness or drive. Last few times he started — Stoke at home or Brighton at FA Cup etc. — he was still one of our better players.
Age is just a number. If you recall ManU’s league wins in the late 2000s old dudes like Giggs or Scholes were the instigator of many key moments.
I think both TR7 and MA8 should stay.
Vinay: then again, against ManU it won’t be a parked bus on the other side of the pitch. I hope we are the ones to park the bus this time, because ManU have no other alternative than to go for the win. A draw would be more or less the end of their chances of finishing above us, so the longer we keep it at 0-0 the more they are going to have to push on which will give us space to attack them in.
In any case I am expecting this to be a really hard game. I can’t see ManUre being so inept again as they were against WBA and Palace (even though they somehow managed to beat Palace anyway) and if offered a draw now I would take it. A draw would be a good result for us as that would give us two chances to secure third. Well, three actually if you include the possibility (quite small though it is) of ManUre effing up at Hull in their last game.
A loss would not be good, though. We would still have third in our own hands, but would then have to win both our remaining games to be sure and I don’t want such a scenario for reasons I think anyone can figure out for themselves.
It is quite astonishing that their manager has just figured this out seeing as we have known this fact for years and years. 😉
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/32746911
Idiot. Spud.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/32755755
Fun quiz in the Guardian. I got 7/10 correct by guessing.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/may/12/football-quiz-ground-2015-general-election-results
Tomas Risicky is a top- class Gooner. Love him to bits. We should offer him a contract for a year. He’s a high impact sub, great professional and loves the club . And he scores against the Spuds.
I think Arteta is doing a bit of coaching now- another good professional.I’d let Diaby and Flamini go. Ches can drive them to the airport
Rosicky is decent too
really would be
a surreal real bar
.
the more agricultural of us
the more intellectual of us
the more pseuds corner
the more spade a shovel
indeed
many all four
woulda had to back stuff up
.
cracker 🙂
.
a real ‘holics’ bar woulda
been a puddle of blood
and snotters few times
cos
it’s a lock in
time – patience stretched
despite best intentions
.
.
anyhoo
.
just pulled out
stump of a back tooth
dozens o years festerin
waaaallllopppp
🙂
using that for liquor likin this evenin
.
.
anyhoo
howdy ‘hol
howdy all
.
half a tooth lighter
I will be surprised to see Tommy R here next year and I think that would be a real shame. His lack of game time this year has been a bit of a mystery to me. I thought that we were crying out for his type in the Swansea game. The midfield area is blessed with talent but still lacks balance and shape for me. If Chambers really is going to be converted into a centre half next year I can see the defence being nearly complete. If Cech ever does become available to us then I would have him in a heartbeat. In my view we still need one top quality striker. We also need strong, powerful holding players. I’m still far from convinced that Coquelin is the answer for us in that position. He has played well since his return but I think he lacks quality. What he has done this term is highlight how much we miss real quality in that role.
Howdy CBA. Booked your trip yet?
howdy steve T
circumstance has my finances
by the knackers
.
every penny i earn
seems to have some fuckers name on it
.
but
.
its fuckin two dozen years
since i saw the fellas
.
i have a plan though 🙂
.
cunning it may be
CBA. As cunning as a fox who’s just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University?
Just wondering.
TR7’s lack of playing time is a mystery to me too. He upsets defenders by running straight at them, drives at the penalty area, chases back and tackles well – really quite like a slightly less constant motion version of Alexis.
Not sure whether the squad could accommodate Tomas and Mikel Arteta as the latter clearly cannot get fit. Tomas would be my choice with Arteta added to the coaching staff.
Heh cba,
Does that make you a cunning lingus ?
😉
haven’t been emirates
loved highbury
lived holloway archway 80s
fortnight regular
dunno what
i dunno
-dont stand up-dont shout-
.
i will find that difficult
not
stickin one on the man sorta shite
but
most games
i watch on the radio
on me feet
effin blindin an inchin towards it
when we’re pressin
Steve T@32: The question might be, at what age are DM’s at their peak? Your characterization of Le Coq as of now seems to me to be spot on: good, indeed good beyond expectation, but great? That is the quandry. Will he become that in time?
cba@33: though it is easy for us far-flungs to say, perhaps those blessed to be the Tollie regulars could see their way to a whip-round on your behalf. Or at the very least a round.
me brother an his young fella
been over a few times
cant wait for us to go over together
he’s gettin in his teens
fer fucks sake
i woke up wrapped round a tree
half a dozen saracen loads
o squaddies roaring and raiding houses
.
strange
strange time
.
nope
UP THE ARSENAL
.
PROUD TO BE A GOONER
ned
lovely sentiment
yer a good soul
but
i am a complete fucker
to financially help out
.
i live on fresh air and sunshine
somewhat by choice
.
well
.
somewhat 🙂
though
in the next year or two
i’ll be so fuckin happy
to meet ‘holics various
.
love it i am a ‘holic regular
.
apart from the wankers of course
ye know who ye are
.
after all acceptance is the first step to recovery
‘hol
d’you have a big noise
goes shit loop
.
.
AAAAAAAHHHHHHH
.
when someone writes shite?
never gonna make the ton 🙂
all the best fellas
Ned. I’m not sure age really comes into it. Le Coq this year has been an unexpected bonus. We tried to sell him in the summer but his wages were too high. If Jack and MA had stayed fit then he would probably still be at Charlton. In fairness to him he has come back, been thrown in and has done well. But I believe that if we genuinely want to challenge next year then he has to be a squad player. I would not expect him to be a first choice. Will he get better??? Who knows? I really would not like to take a guess with that one. My view is that we still need to add a proper spine to team if we really want to really make an impact.
Steve T@46: agree with you on most of that. I was just wondering if experience was relatively more important for a DM than other positions, and experience, by definition, takes time to acquire. Claude Makelele, for example, didn’t reach his pomp until his late 20s and there aren’t many young ‘uns among the world’s best DMs.
All very valid Ned. I think it’s a position that requires experience and discipline.
never self level
a big space
just watched €100
hurtle to one corner
.
place’ll be pancake flat
but
fer fucks sake
.
nother fuckin donation
to
the builders merchants benevolent fund
.
jeez
us
fackin
CHRIST
.
howdy ‘hol
sorry for bullshittin again
ye’d think standin out in the road
effin an jeffin woulda sated
nope
bitter and angry
halfs of which
on the bar
for them that gargles
.
oy
half ton me
well in son
Thanks for the chuckles, CBA. I don’t understand half of what you write, and I mean this as a compliment, but it’s definitely all makes me chuckle. Thanks once again!
Anyday’s a good day when CBA is in the bar…!
😀
well
cent buddy
i am a gooner of old
early 70s fan
younger than many
older than most
.
i dont mean to waffle
but i do
drink fuelled mostly
well
alwaysly
.
so much respect for ‘holic
.
don’t think the cr:cket lovin cunt
knows the esteem
we
blaaaaaaa
yeayhhhh
frnttttttttt
.
TOP MAN
anyhoo
.
all i can think about
is
batterin those bastards
tomorrow
.
i fuckin hate manure
Cba, I think my lack of understanding has more to do with English not been my first language.
I hate manure too and look forward to battering them tomorrow!
Steve T
I think you have summed up Coquelin well and he will prove but he’s not a top- class midfielder. He’s Flamini of two years ago with quite expensive knobs on
I am a Surrey member and maybe they have a marketing idea we could think about?
‘Enjoy Surrey Women for Free’
( it does say T20 as well but why spoil the idea?)
Ivan get your thinking cap on
*checks travel for Surrey*
Poor old Stevie G. Not a glorious ending.
No, indeed.
🙂 🙂 🙂
Well done Palace!
TTG. And what did Flamini show us two years ago? How much we have missed a player who can play that roll. It’s a situation that I have felt for ages that needs to be addressed. I think that if we bring real quality in for that position then you will see a totally different team. The shape and balance improves overnight.
Poor old Stevie G.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>