Experience Retained Whilst Little Boy Expelled
Jul 8th, 2015 by 'holic
Aside from the usual flood of unsourced and wild speculation there is not too much concrete news to comment on. Unless you count the tale of the experienced club captain who extended his contract, and the inexperienced little boy who caused his greater self to crash and burn spectacularly.
Arsene today confirmed yesterday’s reports that Mikel Arteta had accepted a one year extension to his contract. That has got some excited in the world of social media. It makes perfect sense to this observer. Mikel is preparing for his future and has already started work on his coaching badges with the clubs youngest talent at the Hale End Academy. He is the captain and undoubtedly a respected leader in the squad. Arsene Wenger acknowledged he has slipped down the pecking order right now, but highlighted what the Spaniard brings to the squad.
“I expect him to contribute much more than last season but he also faces a battle. With the number of games we have ahead, we could use his experience, his desire and his quality as it will be vital for next season.”
The unexpected rise of Francis Coquelin in the second half of the season came as a pleasant surprise to everybody, including his colleagues as many have acknowledged. Mikel, ravaged by injuries last season, spent his most productive years in a more advanced role, but almost Mclintock-like has extended his career by dropping into a deeper-lying role. Frank went into the back four and mopped up everything that Peter Simpson didn’t take out in our first double team. Mikel, too short to play as a central defender, has made the switch to a deep-lying midfielder who uses his experience to nullify threats, and his vision for a forward pass remains to the fore.
If a quality option becomes viable during the window then expect a deal to be done and Mikel to slip one place further from a guaranteed start. He would expect, and accept, that.
What a shame we didn’t sign him a year or three earlier, when his attacking instincts could have made some uncomfortable years far more bearable.
On the other side of the coin I am reading tonight a report that the much-rumoured offloading of Robin van Stapleton from Manchester United to Fenerbahce is close. Normally I wouldn’t be inclined to comment on the move of a former player but in this instance I cannot help but smile. Who can forget…
“As announced earlier this year I had a meeting with the Boss and Mr. Gazidis after the season. This was a meeting about the club’s future strategy and their policy… unfortunately in this meeting it has again become clear to me that we in many aspects disagree on the way Arsenal FC should move forward… You guys, the fans, have of course the right to disagree with my view and decision.”
Three years have passed since the parting of the striker who had one stellar season with us after we had supported him through the seven preceding seasons of unfulfilled promise, injuries and accusations. Signing for United he revealed another reason for turning his back on the club that had stood by him.
“I always listen to the little boy inside of me in these situations, when you have to make the harder decisions in life. What does he want? That boy was screaming for Man United.”
There too he experienced one accomplished season. Yes, he won a Premiership medal. Two seasons of injuries and, I’ll enjoy this bit, mediocrity later he has been peddled around (forgive me Turkey) the lesser lights of Europe.
Meanwhile the captain who contributed to two FA Cup triumphs, once van Stapleton had gone to be replaced by a team player, is signing on for another year. Potentially a very big year. We may make that leap, or we may fall just short, but know that this season only one out of Arsenal Football Club and Robin van Stapleton will be contesting the truly big prizes.
228 Responses to “Experience Retained Whilst Little Boy Expelled”
Slow to the bar… I’ll have a draught shandy please.
Even slower to the bar. I’ll have a sarsaparilla.
Make mine something bubbly and I’ll have a bitter lemon for the little boy in the corner *sniggers*.
This economics bloke on Newsnight reminds me of Milton Johns.
Holic
Schadenfreude is so pleasant at times like this.
I prefer to call him Van Payslip. Stapleton did leave a very unambitious club but Arsenal have weathered the storm that Payslip helped to generate and if reports are to be believed another quisling,Nasri wanted to come back.
I heard stories that we were interested in taking Van Payslip back but could never believe them. Far too injury prone and definitely on a downward spiral as AVB might say. Despite what prats like Durham may say very few people better themselves after leaving Arsenal. Nobody who has gone to Barcelona has enjoyed better form and most have crashed and burned- Petit, Overmars, Hleb, Song, Fabregas even Henry didn’t succeed in terms of their form like they did at Arsenal. Henry won the CL but was a shadow of his former self. Van Bronckhorst is the only one who might hold his head up – and they’ve donated about £85 million into our coffers.
Bollocks to them all I say
Guinness tonight please barkeep.
RVP can do one. Silly man/boy.
The spuds new stadium design has left me in stitches. It is too perfect. Too hilariously on the nose. They make it so easy for us. No other club could manage this. Simply none. Thankyou to the cock-on-a-basketball wearing maniacs. This gift will keep giving for so long.
Nice one Guvna. A stark contrast nicely drawn.
Very strong rumours of a major transfer coup pulled off by The Arse.
Apparently Ethel Bromide, the Head Tea Lady at Man Utd,who won the Trophy for best brewed tea last season in the Premier league,is on the verge of signing a massive 10 year deal to bring her to the Emirates.
She will replace the outgoing HTL at the Arse,who is retiring after 40 yrs at the helm.
Transfer fee has not been disclosed, but AW was quoted as saying,
” My Scouts have kept tabs on Ethel for a long time,and her ability to stay calm and produce a wonderful full bodied brew even in the most pressured of situations,is a great credit to her.”
He also went on to say, “I am really partial to a well made cuppa,and i am sure Ethel will settle in seamlessly at this great Club.
I must also say that Ethel’s home made biscuits have reached legendary status across the Premier league,and being a man who loves a good biscuit,and here i must confess,i do love a good dunk when i am alone in my Office.
For me this is the final piece in the jigsaw,which will take this Club back to the very top where we belong. ”
Once the paperwork is completed,Ethel is expected to start her new career at the Arse in time for the start of the new season.
Ethel’s only comment to date so far was to say, ” When i heard that that the handsome,urbane,mutli lingual debonair Frenchman Arsene Wenger,was interested in taking me to the Emirates,i was really flattered.
I always listen to the little girl inside of me,when having to make the harder decisions in life.
What does she want ?
That little girl inside of me was screaming for Arsene, oops sorry !!
I meant Arsenal.”
What Bath said @7.
Noticeable absence of goalkeepers in the new training photos on the club’s site. Have we sold them all?
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150708/training
And who is that wearing No. 43? It is not Ryan Huddart, who had the number last season.
And it looks like Bellarin has taken Diaby’s 24.
Evening, Holic,
and, again, what bath said @07.
Seems as though bath is determined to continue with the television references – following the horizontal and vertical hold references in the last bar with one about contrast in this.
Cunningly devious, ‘holic. 🙂
Hilarious, Clive. 🙂
Bellerin looking debonair in the 24 shirt.
Season feels a little closer. Come on Arsenal.
Levy offers his new stadium for two NFL regular season games.
Guess that’s the only way he can get quality football (albeit colonial) in the new Shite Fart Lane.
Clive, between Ethel and auntie Beecham that’s us lot sorted…
Looks as if it is Dan Crowley wearing No. 43.
Cech, Woj and Martinez all on the Singapore tour while Ospina is on post-Copa America holiday until July 27, so no clues there as to which keeper (if any) will get sold or loaned now Cech is here.
Sipping my Strongbow (only Dennis Bergkamp can judge me), I laugh at the Spurs as the go from their current “hole” to a stadium that looks like the lid of a toilet bowl.
And then, while I have seen the aforementioned Dutch forward called many things (some of them printable — I myself prefer “Robin van Rat”), I did notice the use of “Robin van Stapleton.” Time does not heal all wounds, and of course there is what Arseblogger calls Frank Stapleton, 34 years later.
Interviews for “Arsenal: The Official Video History” and “Arsenal: 501 Goals”? Invitations to the Highbury Farewell and the 125th Anniversary gala at the Emirates? Nothing for Stapleton. When Wenger finally does retire, will Robin be invited to comment on the inevitable official club video? If Robin is still alive in 2036, at the time of Arsenal’s 150th Anniversary, will he be invited back? In each case, I doubt it.
RVP is my least favourite former player – he’s even less popular in my books than Nasri. As has been said, he had one decent season with us and he’s had one with Man U. Not really much of a career to look back on in the context of his totally inflated opinion of himself. It’s a shame he’ll be eating a lot of kebabs for the next couple of years rather than a big slice of humble pie!
Nice one Holic. RvanS off to Turkey – that brought a wry smile to my face. Looking forward to his letter to the Yanited fans.. “You guys…..etc”
Bath…you’ll be playing up & down the channels next 😉
Clive…hehs – that put the transfer guff into perspective.
Liam Brady gets a very free ride for going to Italy and taking the Juventus shilling but at the time he broke my little heart. OK, so he went abroad and didn’t strut his stuff against us, but it was a killer blow to me and our team at that time.
Not that I’d ever be horrible to him for going or think badly of him for doing so. Now.
Back then I thought he was the greatest traitor in the history of the club.
I was a kid though.
I am genuinely trying to work out if this is an attempt at parody or if it is actually a real article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/tottenham-hotspur/11728286/Eight-reasons-Tottenhams-new-stadium-will-make-them-bigger-and-better-than-Arsenal.html
Maybe it’ll turn out to be a great stadium, but so far it’s only a fucking drawing. It’s the architect’s vision, and yet some people (mostly on Twitter, not at all in here that I’ve seen) have already decided it will be better than the Emirates because the stands are closer to the pitch. Again, you do realise it is a DRAWING, right? It’s not an actual stadium and besides, if you care to look a bit closer the distance is only marginally smaller than at the Emirates but that’s really rather beside the point.
Like I said, maybe it’ll prove to be a good move for them, but from what I’ve read they haven’t got the funding locked down yet and work has yet to begin on building the sodding thing. And that retractable pitch thing reeks of “unforseen complications adding to the cost of the build” so let’s untwist our collective knickers for a bit, shall we?
Anyway.
I have no problems with Arteta staying on for another season. I don’t think him signing has much bearing on what we do in the transfer market. He’ll be a backup player, and will provide experience and leadership off the pitch as well.
Excellent piece @8, Goonersince54. Hilarious. I do hope Ethel doesn’t disrupt our team solidarity by producing some of that northern Eccle cake nonsense.
Heh at Trev @12 and Uply @19. Which one of you rotters has hidden the remote?
Lars knows @21.
There’s many a hurdle between an architect’s fantasy and the final product. Meanwhile funding is still being sought.
Frankly I don’t care if they produce the biggest stadium in Europe. They will not fill it, will still be envious and bitter at every level, will struggle to fund it and will still be a team of misfits and wannabe’s.
He’s correct about MA8 too, imho.
Cheers ‘H.
I’m afraid that i find myself in the “moaning minnie” camp re the extension offered to Arteta. If, as you perhaps suggest (more in hope than expectation?), he has been retained as a wise old head around the squad who can come in as 3rd choice DM in times of emergency, then all well and good.
If, however, he has been retained as the immediate back up for Coquelin, then I am far less enamoured. One can never second guess AW in these matters, but taking his assertion that Arteta will “contribute much more” together with Arteta’s own confirmation, prior to re-signing, that assurances of playing time would be key to him renewing, then the possibility that a quality addition in this area will be sought diminishes.
That, in my opinion, would represent a massive gamble on Coquelin’s continued form and fitness. The difference that Coquelin made to the side as soon as he came in was stark. Arteta had been running through treacle long before injuries struck last season and he was duly embarrassed more than once in the second half of 13-14. I don’t really share your faith in Arteta’s “vision for the forward pass”. Personally, I thought Coquelin’s willingness to generally seek an instant forward pass was just as instrumental in our improved form post-Jan as his better ground coverage and tackling. By contrast, Arteta’s more conservative and often laborious approach often had the effect of so reducing our tempo that we became easy (or easier) to nullify.
To my mind, decent back up to Coquelin remains the biggest flaw in our squad (far more so than the lack of another forward who may or may not prove better than Giroud, Welbeck and Walcott). If, come September 1st, we have not strengthened in this area, then our ability to challenge for the biggest trophies must be at huge risk. Hopefully AW will prove me wrong with a classy replacement for the rumoured to be leaving Flamini, and push Arteta further down the pecking order, but at this stage, and taking both AW and Arteta at their word, I have my doubts.
As for RVP, looking immortality in the eye and saying “no thanks” always looked a risky strategy to take. Hope his one medal and increased bank balance comforts the “little boy” as he begins his retreat from the warmth of centre-stage . Actually … no I don’t. Hope the little boy suffers extreme frostbite and his knob drops off.
Clive @8 – I deny all media rumours and speculation that I have been “on Ethel for a long time”, though I can confirm that she bakes a mean home-made biscuit! 😉
Cheers ‘h.
Tabs @24,
Spot on regarding Arteta and Coquelin’s now clearly superior on-field attributes! A direct competitor to Le Coq is a must if we’re to challenge for the big wing-nuts next term! Arteta should only be played in a formation with two holding CMs. His legs have gone! I’m still very convinced Arsene’s going to bring in a new CDM to compete with Le Coq.
tabs: in addition to what Arsene said about expecting Arteta to contribute more it is also worth noting that he also said “he will face a lot of competition” or words to that effect, meaning he is far from guaranteed playing time as I see it.
That said, I absolutely agree that if Arteta is the primary backup for le Coq then it is a worry. But I do believe – quite possibly naïvely! – that this will not be the case. I think Arteta is the intended third choice and that Flamini (who has been rumoured to be leaving) is likely to be replaced with a better player.
TABS @ 24: Read my mind re: Coquelin/Arteta. It would be a big gamble to start the season with Arteta as the only back-up to Coquelin. What if Coquelin does his cruciate ligaments on September 1st? And let’s not forget, with his ‘robust tackling’ style of play, Coquelin will certainly pick up suspensions throughout the season as well. This will also be Coquelin’s first full season as the main man at DM – can he maintain his form all season long, no longer the ‘surprise package’?
I think we can get away with playing Arteta at DM say at home to Bournemouth or Watford, but as you say – against the top half of the table (particularly away from home, as we saw in 2013/14), Arteta lacks the legs and physicality to offer us the solidity you need in these games, and possibly even slows our counter-attacking tempo down.
Perhaps Wenger’s thinking is that apart from Arteta, for certain games or stages of games where Coquelin isn’t available or not needed, he can accommodate more of his ‘big name’ progressive midfielders by dropping Ramsey deeper alongside Cazorla (thus giving Wilshere more scope to play?)
Dan, Lars – very much hope you’re both right, and I will be very happy if you are.
Lars, wasn’t so much AW’s words, (though I think that when you’re third choice for one position, reasonable game time is, whilst not impossible given our injury record, unlikely), but Arteta’s quote in April prior to signing.
‘My only aim to get back fit and try to perform on the pitch.If I don’t do that (perform on the pitch) then I am not going to be here because I don’t want to be somewhere where I cannot perform at my best and give what I think I can give. In May, when everything is fine, we will sit down and talk and it will take five minutes.’
Words in brackets are mine.
He may of course have had a change of heart since April, depending on what the Club have offered him, but those words don’t sound to me like someone who would have signed on as third choice.
But, as you say, it’s still early days and we’ll see.
Gregoire@27 – couldn’t agree more.
As for the suggested solution in your last para, it’s certainly a possibility, and one which would be typical of how AW attempts to find internal solutions. It may well work, who can say, but it would be a pretty big gamble I think to rely on that solution for any length of time.
Nice one, Clive – i somehow missed it late last night.
Tabs, Lars, Gregoire,
All spot on.
Just one thing to consider: if Arteta did play at home against Bournemouth and Watford, that would in fact be significantly more playing time than last season. All happy then.
Personally, I don’t want to see Ramsey in a deep lying role because he doesn’t have the discipline to stay there and, when he gets caught upfield, he doesn’t have the pace to get back.
Eagerly awaiting Cech’s debut … think he’s doing pre-season in Singapore with them orcs …!
The team is finally coming together to mount a proper challenge on multiple fronts.. I actually think if would be good to do a little rotation with Arteta/Coquelin depending on our opponents.
We shouldn’t settle for just any DM unless he’s on par with the best and wants to join us, much rather we stick to whom we have and promote from within once they get good enough.
Am in the minority with this view am sure.. but I think we’re good enough to give it a good go with our current compliment.
😀
Lars, me old mate,
Please tell me you’re not seriously worried by that Telegraph article !
Eight of the most tenuous reasons anyone could have dreamt up as to why ‘they’ are going to be better than us.
Well, here are eight reasons why they won’t –
1 – They are Tottenham.
2 – They are Tottenham.
3 – They are Tottenham.
4 – They are Tottenham.
5 – They are Tottenham.
6 – They are Tottenham.
7 – They are Tottenham.
8 – They are Tottenham.
Obvious, innit !
Why do i sense that Wenger will take one gamble on either a striker or a DM and not both. If it is a striker then it is obvious he believes coq and arteta or/and jack, ramsey pivot is what he believes will work for the season. If it is a DM, then it is fairly obvious he doesnt believe coq and arteta is the answer.
If i were to be given the choice, i will go for a dm, an upgrade on coq and not a backup. Answer is Schneiderlin or any of the bender boys or if bayern are willing to sell, javi Martinez. Martinez with his history of injuries may be the last option but if fit, he fits the bill to the hilt.
Pre season in a week, the nerves have started to tingle and i wonder is this the season finally. The season wherein we win the league after 11 years. Nothing else matters and all the sustained challenge cliche can be called nonsense. Win the league boys, this is it.
I would much prefer Arsene to sign another top defensively minded midfielder and agree with tabs et al that failure to do so will, if Le Coq gets crocked or suspended for any period of time or even just for a few big games, seriously damage our hopes that we will seriously challenge for and hopefully win the two big trophies.
However, whilst he hasn’t actually said it, I am sure that Arsene now feels he doesn’t need to sign that player because of the emergence of Coquelin and because such a signing would “kill” Coquelin. I think he feels that he can cover Le Coq with the players we have and he will see how that works in pre-season. Only if one of the players he considers better than Le Coq becomes available or if he feels Le Coq hasn’t maintained his level or the deputies can’t cut it do I think he will sign our much hoped-for top DMFer.
I think the same applies up front. Only if one of his top targets (?Benzema or Reus) is offered to him at a tasty price will we add another forward to the squad.
I quite expect to see us fail to add any further automatic starters to the squad now we have added Gabriel in January and Cech in June. I would be disappointed but not surprised.
Bath,
I think, on last season’s evidence, that Coq IS a top DMfer. However, in that position, he will inevitably collect cards, knocks and simply suffer a degree of fatigue – he hasn’t played a whole season at this level in any position before.
Even mentally, in his position he will have to maintain top concentration in every single game.
Quite simply, he is human and I don’t think he, or anyone else, can do that.
I fully accept that but I recognise that Arsene Wenger,
1) doesn’t like to ‘kill’ his young talent by signing players who will block their progress (Remember Denilson)
2) loves a bargain and won’t spend big to buy a dodgy back up any longer (no more Stepanovs)
3) is a gambler (remember last season’s CB situation)
4) rarely plays with 2 DMFers so will not want to spend big money to see either that player or Le Coq spend lots of time warming the bench.
As a result of all these I believe that he will favour an ‘internal solution’ to DMF back-up over a speculative purchase or even a big money purchase.
I personally wouldn’t choose to do that. I would sign the best available and have them compete but he’s the man in charge and has a track record the like of which I can only dream.
A signing that — even in the current atmosphere of hyperactive media and transfer obsession — largely went unnoticed.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150708/wenger-on-adelaide-and-tour-squad
With the permanent departure of Ormonde-Ottewill and loaning out of Maitland-Niles, we now have our customary quota of at least one hyphenated name: Reine-Adelaide.
About the secondary/tertiary DMF choices, I think Chambers may be given a few chances too, especially if we are not signing anyone new in that position.
One also wonders if Arsene would try that no sitting back pivote but rotating box-to-box he attempted with Jack and Rambo and not quite working out as both of them tend to be tactically indisciplined. Maybe both matured a bit to be able to play alongside Santi — still my player of the season last year, not Alexis’s impact but a more influential MF performance we haven’t seen in PL in many years — in that kind of formation to give Coquelin a break against relatively weaker oppositions?
Some great comments above.
I really respect to POV’s taken by Tabs / Lars / Trev / Gregoire but I find myself aligned with Bath in his thinking on this front.
I don’t think Arteta is the 2nd DCM designate. I think he’s further down that ladder and is largely being retained because of his experience and influence. I imagine at his age (and likewise Rosicky) is that the wages they will pull at a club like ours will be far more than what they’ll get elsewhere or if they decide to go coaching.
Like Bath – I’m all for signing a DCM but only if he is proportionately better to Le Coq for the money he will cost. I just can’t see Wenger spending 20-30m on a back up solution. Therefore, if he buys another midfielder for that type of money, then it should be a world class addition and preferably for a player who is talented enough to cover a number of positions and provide different options.
Jack Wilshere started the FA Cup on the bench. There are many teams who would love to have a player like Wilshere in their team and they would happily spend top dollar to get him. Whether we like it or not, players like Rambo and Wilshere are going to have to be accommodated and get playing time. And from where I sit, that means they will have to do a job defensively as well as play in the box to box roles or fill in at 10 if needs be. And if thats means some players need to become more disciplined or build upon their core physique – then this can only be a good thing.
I think we’ve been in the market for a top class striker for two years now with failed bids for both Suarez and Cavani. So if a top class striker comes available – I hope thats where Wenger will prioritise spending. But its great to see discussions like these and its an exciting time for all fans of the club.
On the one hand, regarding the DM slot, a “horses for courses” approach could theoretically work, as there would be a number of opponents against whom Arteta would do the job. The fear is that AW has never really been a “horses for courses” manager, so I could see le Coq being worn down with constant use. And don’t forget the possibility of him picking up a straight red or two given his propensity for the diving two-footed tackle. So sign me up for another DM, but not “just a backup”.
Lots of quality drinks above but my favourite was:
no I hope he gets extreme frostbite and his knob falls off.
Standing on the shoulders of giants in this place. Which for those of you who know me, will realise that comes in handy when its 6 deep at the bar. 😎
clive 🙂
Excellent back drinks and debate.
I think Arteta is a back-up and Wenger will move for a DM if an outstanding opportunity comes up. That will be a combination of value and quality. Carvalho might be an option but Schneiderlin is too expensive given his quality vis a vis Coquelin.
My solution is the Goldilocks one- choose the player who is better than Arteta but not expensive. I mean Cabaye who represents very good value at the price Palace are paying. I’m surprised Wenger wouldn’t go for him which makes me think he has another Wengeresque option. That could be Bielik or converting Chambers or buying a nine foot tall Somalian goatherd who is the best DM in the world but is only known to Arsene. My money is on the goatherd
Yep TTD, good call, and here’s yer man…..
http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-day/goat-herd-somaliland/
Bath
Many thanks
Goatherd- check
Somalian- check
Nine foot tall???. Maybe this was him in the Somalian Under 9 team.
Anyway let’s keep this as a secret as he’s flying in for his medical…..in a very tall room
If there is a dexterous nine foot Somalian goatherd out there it would be a waste not to sign him as a Cech backup to give parking the bus a new meaning. Especially if he actually brings his goat herd with him. 🙂
Good to hear from you Tabs,
Ethel said to say hello,and to tell you she is looking forward to catching up with you behind the tea urn on a regular basis now she is relocating to the Ems.
On football matters,
It will be fascinating to see what formations we play in the 2 games in Singapore,and the Emirates cup.
You would think allowing for the absence of Alexis,that the first 11 picked for the Community shield against Chelsea,will be the 11 that start against West Ham.
Given that we have for the first time in many years,multiple quality backups for nearly every position,come opening day,even without any further additions,there are going to be some seriously disappointed members of the first team squad.
Arsene has repeatedly said he will only add to the first 11, a player who will ‘ improve ‘ the team.
He has done that in my opinion, [ although not everyone’s ]with Cech,
so i cannot see him buying just another ‘squad player’ to fill the other 2 positions most of us feel need reinforcing.
This of course creates it’s own problems,because any player we are in the market for is going to want assurances that they are going to be playing regularly,before signing on the dotted line,thus pushing another first team aspirant a little further down the pecking order.
For what it is worth,given we sign no more additions,this would be my preferred starting line up for the opening game against the Irons.
Cech
Debuchy
Monreal
Gabriel
Koscielny
Coquelin
Cazorla
Ozil
Chamberlain
Ramsey
Giroud
A Somalian goatherd with nine feet ?!
Sign him ! No ifs, no butts !
😉
Too late for the Somalian goatherd – apparently he will feel more at home with Nani who’s just signed for Fernabache. 😉
Heh !
Maybe we’ll get Billy Carvalho ?
Stop Press
He’s been signed by Jose Merino.
What’s that……. Merino is a sheep? Well I tried.
Perhaps he’s a shepherd ?
Apparently he’s hornier than Raheem Sterling
Some quality drinks above. How great is it that we can at last discuss a squad with real depth in virtually all the positions? Looking at Clive’s starting line up @48 and putting our potential back-ups in each position against them and you still end up with a team on the bench that would have a pretty decent season in the Premier League in its own right. Anyone coming in would have to be the proverbial super-super quality.
Cech/Woj, Ospina or Martinez
Debuchy/Bellerin, Jenkinson
Monreal/Gibbs
Gabriel/Mertesacker/Hayden
Koscielny/Chambers
Coquelin/Arteta/Flamini/Bielik
Cazorla/Wilshere
Ozil/Alexis, Zelalem
Chamberlain/Walcott, Gnabry, Campbell
Ramsey/Rosicky,
Giroud/Welbeck, Sanogo, Akpom
Plus some promising youngsters like Crowley, Maitland-Niles, Iwobi, Reine-Adelaide and Willock coming up behind.
Managing playing time next season will be critical. Deep runs in all the competitions will mean around 60 games. That works out at around 35 games each for all the 18 or so senior players, and that is before injuries, suspensions, etc are taken into account. Still plenty of football to go round without running the first choice X1 into the ground. Plus we’ve got the players to go with Plans B and C now. I think AW showed in the second half of last season that he is now readier not to go with Plan A for every game than he once was.
Now they say Angel di Maria is on his way to PSG for 60-odd million pounds or euros or nose rings. Has anybody noticed that the only clubs that want to have this player do not already have him? That, and they also have ludicrous amounts of money to waste.
what a great way to drink jet lagged coffee, sitting in a shop in bayswater. London is brilliant, first time back since I started drinking at this here bar…
I assumed Arteta had been retained not just as back-up but because AW sees him in an administrative position in the future. After losing Paddy perhaps he wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice.
A DMF is still a priority, imo. With Cech coming cheap and just a couple of kids so far we must have a sizeable pot for the right player. Especially one who could also play CD. If not another CD would be my second priority, and Reus my third.
Öskar
goats have rectangular pupils
Arsenal just tweeted happy birthday to “icon” frank stapleton
.
funny old world
Morning transfer Buffs!
AS has an interview with David Ospina, where translated, it goes a little something like this:
“Future: “Today I am Arsenal goalkeeper. I have four-year contract. let’s see what happens. Now I’m psyched to continue at Arsenal, to continue showing my level and all that David Ospina you can bring to Arsenal. Then I’ll watch what can happen. ”
Petr Čech, his competition: “Coming to Arsenal is a dream come true. It is such a great team. Now comes an excellent keeper as Čech, who I admire. This time out I’m analyzing a lot and then I’ll have a conversation with the coach. For me it will be an honor to share with an archer as much experience. One in the middle still learning every day and more in this position. ”
Balance in England: “I knew it would be a complicated, interesting and important challenge. I did some criticism and raised the issue of the size and journalists were told it was not for this league goalkeeper because 1.83 meters is not enough. And as anecdote that I always stop in the tunnel and looked at another archer I do see that I am small. I did not like was getting over the issue of injury and then I returned to relapse (…) In December I begin to demonstrate the desire I had and the ‘teacher’ give me a chance, I take the fullest. The balance at the end is positive. A title was achieved and get direct qualification to the Champions League groups. ”
Everton offer: “It’s a very competitive team, which showed significant things happened in the tournament with a good technical and playing football. It is a team to be reckoned with and a great opportunity. ”
Are there other offers ?: “There are some possibilities, but my mind is at Arsenal. I want to go there. I am very happy in London and my family too, so I hope at least respect the contract is four years. I always look at things and analyze. ”
It seems fairly official, but you never know.
If authentic, it sounds like he wants to stay.
Let’s see aye?
UTA!! 😉
Trev, Baff, Joe, TTG – Good stuff above.
Pretty much share Trev’s doubts as to whether Ramsey’s talents are suited to the DM role. Same could be said of Jack imo. Still, have been surprised (mostly in a good way) by AW’s internal solutions so willing to be surprised again I guess.
Joe – Hope you’re well. Hear what you’re saying vis-a vis a DM versus a forward, and if the general direction of the ‘transfer bullshit traffic’ is to be believed at all, then I suspect that AW agrees with you. My take on it is that we remain far more exposed in the DM role (if anything happens to Coq) than we are up front. Giroud, Welbeck and Walcott look a fairly well-balanced set of choices to meet most challenges, each having their own specific strengths as well as weaknesses. Alexis can also play up front if needs must.
The other reason that I would prefer a DM to a forward is that the ‘stellar’ names that have been bandied about as possible arrivals – Jackson Martinez, Higuain, Benzema – don’t really get my juices flowing, especially at some of the eye-watering prices that have been mentioned. In the absence of AW being able to unearth another unknown (Anelka) or struggling winger (Henry), I would rather we saved our money for when someone like Reus becomes available.
Clive – What ho! Decent team there. Personally I think that Bellerin has done enough to start as the man in possession over Debuchy and that the Frenchman will have to wait his turn. I tend to agree with you that Gabriel, as long as he continues in the same vein that he has started, will have displaced the Bfg as first choice before the Season’s out, but I will be surprised if AW doesn’t start the Season with the more experienced man firmly entrenched as first choice.
Walcott deserves to start against the Irons in his first home game after signing a new contract and his excellent performance in the FA Cup final, leaving my team like this:
Cech
Bellerin
Monreal
Mertesacker
Koscielny
Coquelin
Cazorla
Ozil
Walcott
Ramsey
Giroud
Subs:
Ospina
Gabriel
Gibbs
Chamberlain
Wilshere
Welbeck
A few notables who would be left out altogether in this scenario:
Szczesny
Debuchy
Chambers
The upside of selecting a team so early is the right to change up as the season gets closer. 🙂
Get the flock out of here with those sheep puns.
8 ball @ 62: No Rosicky or Arteta even among the missing notables!! Ageist, I say, ageist … 🙂
Have some consideration for TR7, he still got what it takes, in between some rest and recuperation, of course. I will consistently have him on subs bench and bring him on when our team lacks sharpness and pace to help inject some drive, and also bring him on when we are cruising and Ozil-Cazorla-Alexis can be given a break.
Doctor Faustus. Most certainly I would have listed TR7 if my pea-sized brain had not been overcome by our multitudinous options. Those options might even be enough to survive our annual injury crisis. Unless said crisis includes a significant injury to Le Coq.
The admirable attitude shown by Ospina underlines what a decent fellow he appears to be.It would appear that even with Cech here both him and Ches want to stay( and Ches appears to have a pretty young fiancé to support). Sadly that’s not really an option because you don’t have enough opportunities to play both reserve goalkeepers. They don’t tend to play in Under 21 games and nobody other than Real plays a different goalie in the Champions League so for the first part of the season its Capital One Cup or nothing- and if you lose in the first round as we did last year???
It might make sense to send one of them on loan. While Ches could benefit from working with Cech I would have thought a loan spell might be beneficial for him. Where he can play each week and smoke in the showers after the game:) Turkey sounds perfect .
Ospina can then play in the Cups, and could fill in for Cech and maybe come in for a few league games to keep him sharp . Martinez, who I think I have previously said I do not rate as highly as others in this bar could have a season on loan in the top division of a foreign league , which, I believe, has always been the plan for him.
I think we have reached consensus in the bar. We won’t sign a DM because we have options ( NB the Somalian boy) . I think we will make one more signing and it might prove that foreign agent correct. I think it will be spectacular:- Reus, Draxler ( either of whom Wenger will convert to a central striker as he did with Henry) or Lewandoski because I understand he and Pep don’t see eye to eye.
If this proves to be correct I won’t crow, I will stay the modest young guy I have always been. If it proves wrong I didn’t say a word.
bt8 @ 66: Worry not. I know I am in a significant minority (may even be minority of one) but I think even if Coquelin gets indisposed for a short while our team has learnt the value of the job that he does that one of the many central midfielders or second choice defenders will step up. I can actually see Gabriel and/or Chambers filling in adequately (for a few games here and there), or Rambo/Jack working well with Santi at the base, or for that matter Ox playing the rotating box-to-box with Santi and provide a more disciplined defensive cover. There really is no reason Jack or Rambo for a few games cannot play a Alonso/Busquets/Pirlo kind of role, they are old enough to make that tactical adjustment per game. If we must get a player in this position we should get someone who is genuinely versatile and can play deep as well as box-to-box. I know Vidal has a short fuse and did silly things in the CL final, but he had an excellent season at Juve and played very well in Copa. I am not saying “sign Vidal”, but if we are to sign another central midfielder then of that versatility and technical ability. Which would probably make it difficult for Arteta to get any game time, but he can still be an influence in the dressing room…
Pre-Coquelin I think our problem was as a collective the team didn’t realize or accept the need for the job that Coquelin does, now everyone accepts that importance of it. So many of our highly capable players — Rambo has a great tackle, a superb engine and excellent forward pass — should be able to acknowledge the need to sacrifice the attacking instincts for the greater good for the odd match here and there, or even for a few weeks at a stretch…
King GT@60: says a lot about the club that both Woj and Ospina are saying they want to stay even though neither can expect more than to be the No 2 behind Cech.
Dr F@67: my guess is that AW sees Arteta as the cover for Le Coq, or at least until Bielik or Chambers are ready. In a pinch, Ramsey or Wilshere could play there, but Ramsey would be the better choice, if only because he can probably hold his discipline better than Jack. It is not the best use of Ramsey though.
Did anybody else smile and snigger softly to themselves at the news that Robin Van Scumbag feels betrayed by LVG.
No I am not a little bitter, I am STILL massively bitter about the way he treated us.
Moving on anyway, I am curiously optimistic for the coming season but have no real reason why, we are still one or two light in the usual places but I feel a resurgence could be coming our way again.
Have a good weekend Gooners.
Dr. F and NBN – I agree with most of what you said @67 and 68 respectively. However, I’ve noticed that since Rambo started scoring goals, it seems like he finds it very difficult to keep his discipline when instructed to play that deep role.
Jack has been getting some experience in a similar role for England and seems to like the challenge, as he has been watching videos of Pirlo etc. Thus, as ridiculous as it may sound, I think Jack would be a little bit more disciplined in that deep pivot role than Rambo at this stage of their respective careers.
Good to see the drinks taking a familiar shape. Thank you all. Off to Cardiff tomorrow, hopefully to witness something unexpected, then Cornwall for a week. So chuffed some of you offered to weigh in with some pieces. That means a lot and will enable me to make the most of a rare break. We also have a live event on Tuesday, and hopefully I will have a signal on Wednesday so maybe able to comment on pre-season match one in Singapore.
Have a good one ‘holics.
Gotta share this that made me chuckle.
When Sir Alf called up Rodney Marsh to his England squad he was heard to to say ” Son, I’m gonna have to pull you off at half time”
Rod replied
” Blimey, all we get at QPR is half an orange “……
So Schweiny going to ManU…. transfers heating up..!
Looking forward to Singapore matches!
😀
NBN @ 68 — agreed.
Impec1@70: it does sound rational enough but I think the difference is England plays a very rigid formation whereas Arsene encourages fluidity and interchanges so much of the discipline would have to be self-imposed and not given as strict directions from the manager.
It would be interesting to see how Jack and Rambo both are kept busy and happy — assuming they both stay fit, which we all hope they really will — and how they are rotated with Santi and Ozil.
Have been watching the highlights of last season lately on Arsenal player. Forgot Sanogo actually had a good game in the community shield and started well against Dortmund when he scored. Probably a full season out on loan this time, and hopefully staying fit.
Santi Cazorla though … a series of beguiling, versatile, majestic performances at the middle. If we keep Alexis-Ozil-Santi fit I don’t think scoring would be a problem even if the frontline primarily remains Giroud & Theo.
I’m glad nobody has been silly enough to post about the Italian press story saying Ozil is off to Juventus after a “tactical disagreement” with Wenger.
Oh… as you were 😉
Have a good, well deserved break, Holic.
And, in the West Country, try to find some of those end-dolphins. That’s after your trip to Whales, of course. Wherever you’re off to, i hope the trip fulfills its porpoise.
Dr Faustus,
I’m afraid I don’t go along with this mix and match, square pegs in round holes approach to our defensive strategy. Haven’t we seen enough ‘making do’ over the last eight seasons to have learnt some lessons ?
The defensive midfielder role is a specialised one that can’t just be filled for a few games by a spare centre half – that’s why there are so few top ones around.
It involves constant running which is not really suited to the type of game or type of fitness developed by a centre back. Defensive midfielder requires more endurance and aerobic capacity, whereas a centre back relies more on anaerobic bursts of speed.
A defensive midfielder also has to be able to receive, turn and play the ball, often under pressure, and be a very accurate passer of the ball. A centre back normally has the play in front of him and requires far less versatility than a defensive midfielder.
To rely on our backup centre backs is not the way to win the league. Neither is it to rely on Wilshere or Ramsey. Neither has the defensive instinct or the discipline to play the position properly. It is also a waste of their attacking talents to stick them there.
And before anyone refers to Jack’s recent England appearance – yes, he did play a great all-round midfield game with some strong tackles thrown in. But the highlights of his performance were two fantastic strikes from the edge of the opposition box. That is what we want him doing for us.
We have the money now to buy some round pegs. Can we get some to fill our round holes, please.
Trev knows.
Ned @ 68
Agreed!
The club are mooted to be making another key signing this summer. It seems as though it could be another unexpected, as opposed to somebody obvious.
Whoever and whenever, it sounds like the club are still moving in the right direction, which is up.
Even when Scum Lane announced their supposedly impressive plans for 2018, nobody batted an eyelid. It just goes to show the level we are on in terms of national stature. We are a globally recognised brand, with a rich history.
UTA!
PS: I like the look of that Asian tour squad and can’t wait for the atmosphere at the Ems cup this year. Front row with the little one and then over night in the Hilton suite!
Yessir!!
😉
Oh and Fcuk Van P!
😆
Dr. T @77. Spot on about the nature of the defensive midfield position and the reason why we need more depth to cover for Coquelin. Someone with forceful foreskin for sure. 🙂
Trev/bath/8ball : I am not against signing another central midfielder. This is what I said, “I am not saying “sign Vidal”, but if we are to sign another central midfielder then of that versatility and technical ability. Which would probably make it difficult for Arteta to get any game time, but he can still be an influence in the dressing room”.
My point was even if we don’t end up signing one, and let us be honest that a player of that quality may not be easy to find and have all the other aspects align — last summer and the summer before there were attempts I believe at the direction of Gustavo and Khedira etc. — we are far less susceptible to the hole-in-the-center problem that before because the rest of the midfielders now no longer have the cognitive disconnect about the importance of the job that Coquelin does. And least ideally they should not assuming they are intelligent and willing to learn.
Getting this new player right could be an issue … we all saw what happened to many of the so-called big signings we missed out on, Fernandinho, Fernando, Capoue, M’Villa etc. And we saw how Chelsea needed to give Matic one more chance.
Many great club teams nowadays rely on only one top level player for this position, and when they have two the other one gets fit in some other position — Busquets and Mascheranho are good examples. If we do get a player who is going to push Coquelin then we should be able to accommodate him in other positions (and rotate) even when Coquelin is fit. And that would mean stronger competition in a very congested midfield squad already. Which might also mean moving Santi up back at no.10 or wing to rotate with Ozil/Alexis even after last season’s stellar CM performance. There would be a delicate balance between stability-continuity-growth that Arsene needs to maintain, and throwing new players in the squad would add to that complexity.
In other words, it will be understandable if Arsene wants to not add a new member in central midfield this season but wait for one more year when Santi is most likely to go back to Spain, Arteta moving on to coaching or MLS, and TR7 too finally calling it a day or maybe move to MLS etc.
That was a bizarre line “And least ideally they should not assuming they are intelligent and willing to learn”, I meant “Ideally they should not, assuming they are intelligent and willing to learn” 🙂
Dr Faustus,
why not just say you disagree and are quite happy with square pegs in round holes, rather than another entire repetition of your previous points.
The idea of “throwing new players into the squad” at this stage is to improve and, if necessary, replace, not to concoct ever more odd ways of fitting everyone we already have into the starting eleven.
No, I don’t want wholesale change but there are a very small number of positions where we are not good enough to win the Premier League and even the Champions League. Those trophies have to now be our objective whether we actually win them or not, and that may require a small amount of change.
Your last paragraph has me quite bewildered. I can only really reply that if my auntie had a pair of ………………
Trev @ 84: Come on, can’t there be nuances between “I want” and “I don’t want”? I want another versatile CM player who can rotate not only with Coquelin but also with Rambo and Jack and Santi. But I will understand Arsene’s reasoning if he doesn’t go for one especially if he cannot find a player of quality higher than what we already have.
“The idea of “throwing new players into the squad” at this stage is to improve and, if necessary, replace, not to concoct ever more odd ways of fitting everyone we already have into the starting eleven.”
Replace is the operative word here…that is probably the hardest challenge Arsene would face. Given that you and I want at least two top level players in the pivote position, we might see pushing out of one of Jack or Rambo or Santi for a considerable amount of time in the season…
That ruthlessness may even go to the extent that if Jack cannot sustain another injury-free season then his time will be up. Or no matter what Santi would be moved on etc. etc. I am just saying that these are the types of decisions Arsenal as a club and Arsene as a manager tend be more considerate about.
Anyway, I sense angst in your post. No reason, these are all pure speculations from our part anyway. Let us keep our displeasure and anger for things that really deserve them. 🙂
Bad luck on the Cardiff trip, H. If tomorrow meant Sunday and not Saturday that is.
Bad luck ‘Holic, seems you won’t be witnessing anythong at all ‘across the bridge’ tomorrow. A shame the Aussies couldn’t make a better fist of things. Hey ho.
I thought the Guvnor was there today. I certainly hope so. The timing of his post doesn’t give too much away.
Glad to see the most arrogant bunch of twats I have seen in a long time up get their come- uppance. Especially Mitchell Johnson. I will be at Lords to see the second day on Friday. We should get through to then!
Mitchell Johnson squats when he runs, like someone who is trying to have a shit in a public toilet without letting their bum cheeks touch the seat.
Non football season means watching the GAA on Sky.
Arsenal ladies on the box tomorrow though.
d’ye remember when fubble was fun
do ye
.
deconstructing the dick off yer dog doc fau
.
i am more than aware
my contributions are
twaddle
but
the
oh so researched and considered
sermons sometimes
just make me wanny boke
(one for baff and z there 🙂
.
sorry
creating a bad atmosphere
but
like history professors
whose life is just
pontificating about sumfin
they themselves
time-machine notwithstanding
just read about the other day
.
i dunno
can seem a bit see-through
.
.
and
don’t get me started on
talkin about players positions
like yer setting up subbuteo
and
every automaton placed
will stick to the designated tramlines
in full flow of a game
.
.
anyhoo
.
.
bit rainy got here
wet howdy all
Did you ever try to play Subbuteo with a rich kid, who had the money to buy those stadium bits, with little plastic crowd figures? Right pain in the arse trying to stretch over those things. Lad I knew even had enough money to buy the tv crew, telly tower and scoreboard.
It made the ball on a bit of elastic that was on offer when he came round mine look a bit sick 🙁
And he had Scalextric as well. The rich bastard.
Dr Faustus,
There is absolutely no “angst” in my post. What on earth is there to be anxious or frightened of ?
You are right though, I must admit, in that I do get irritable when every time I disagree with you in here, I simply get another repetition from you of what I have disagreed with and accused of displaying “anger and displeasure” today and, on a previous occasion, even “verbal violence”!
Just say we’ll have to agree to disagree – that’s absolutely fine – without always accusing me of bullying you out of the argument.
Drink on the bar for you – hot, cold or any nuance of temperature you care for. 😉
Ah, cba, nail on head, mate.
cynic
never did ye any harm
yer a better soldier for it
.
CANT WAIT FOR THE SEASON TO START
CANT WAIT
.
will still watch the games i can
with the same un-edited excitement
i did when i was a wee lad
like most of ye
🙂
.
.
.
de-con-fuckin-struct that
oy vey
himself probably will
🙁
howdy trev
.
if i had a hammer
😉
scalextric
holy fuck
the metal brushes out the bottom of the cars
the big transformer
hummin from mildly hot
to buzzin like 3mile island
.
aye
rich bastards 🙂
.
1
2
3
Ah Subbuteo! The hours I wasted on that wonderful game. Painting the appropriate hair colours, numbers, badges and kits. Thank Dennis that it was pre- sponsored shirts. I didn’t have extras barring finally buying a second hand pitch and tacking it and the fence onto a piece of chipboard to finally allow me not to wear out the knees on any more jeans. Great game. Never got into computerised football.
Thank you kindly cba. I look forward to buying you a pint one fine day in London town.
cheers baff
said it before
look forward to breaking beer
with several o you fine fellas
.
proper good souls
proper gooners
shite talked
drink drunk
cracker day indeed
bath @100. Well in with a calm, collected and composed finish. Near mid-season form. But have you hit your peak too soon? 😉
Breaking beer/ Breaking bones. Same thing.
Come to Belgrade.
Let the good times roll…and roll…
ssy
no
.
beer and bones aren’t the same
.
you might choose to kick back and relax
chuggin’ on a bone
.
i like guinness
Drinking Guinness builds strong bones. Strong minds too, but that is beside the point.
Petr Cech apparently taking the number 33.
not unlike my half o john j
beside the pint
My lucky number is 3.
I love 33 and 333 also…but i don’t care much for that chelsea fella.
(kicked some hippie bloke, waiting for him to come back, so I can kick him again)
crested ten
🙂
tasted better
but i enjoy it
ssy
.
internet macho is silly
.
kicking hippie blokes?
.
would ye like me
to give you directions
to wise up
Not beside the pint in a Minnesota accent cba.
Actually I am drinking Samuel Adams Summer Ale but that is not patriotic for a Minnesotan as it is brewed in the “Commonwealth of Massachusetts” where they think that by being a commonwealth they are superior to the rest of the States. Actually, that is probably because they ARE superior but at least we have a coastline on Lake Superior which they do not. Indisputable.
i also like chicken jalfrezi
.
keep raisin them barns mini soda
Internet macho? What’s that?
Like I said, come to Belgrade and I’ll show you directions. Believe me.
There was only one Gooner with balls when we are playing Partizan.
My crew pulled a joke and every fuckin’ gooner was in a second, lost and away, except the Gary and his photo is on my wall.
And he is from fuckin’ Ryde.
great to see ye have a wall
.
had one meself once
.
that was my max wall
.
how can i work in
freddie parrot face
and ali bongo
🙂
What.
A.
Day.
I have some wonderful friends. 🙂
who let you in?
Some old fool, cba 😉
diamond geezer
🙂
You could work Ali Bongo Bongo Land in if you were a UKIP councillor, cba.
In vaguely uninteresting news, Cech will wear the number 33 shirt, for reasons too daft to bother typing.
Old fool let me in, through the back door.
Now, it’s time for you to sleep, little fella.
Cech rationale for taking the No 33 … “Starting new chapter at 33 years of age with 333 games in the premier league … That’s an easy choice.” The former Chelsea goalkeeper added: “Hope to be a part of the spine of the team – spine has 33”.
Sounds good to me … unless he concedes 33 in the season!
Öskar
* spine has 33 vertebrae.”
Ö
Hope you noticed my humpback apology for miscrediting your end-dolphins in previous round, Trev. A majorca mea culpa.
Öskar
Well done H
You certainly picked a fantastic day to attend the Test match.
My brother,who apart from being a mad Gooner all his life,also loves his Test match cricket,and a beer,and a bet,and a fag,and a shag. !!
He was at the game for all 4 days,and i am sure you will confirm,when he said the atmosphere on Saturday,particularly in the afternoon,was like being at a football match.!!
He said you could hardly hear yourself think as the wickets kept falling.
Everyone seems to be of the opinion that Haddin dropping Joe Root on the first morning,was the turning point possibly for the whole series,and whilst it was a game changer, i am of the firm belief that losing Harris before the series even started,is what will ultimately bring the Aussie mob undone.
That body blow is distinctly similar to England losing Trott after the first test in Brisbane in the previous Ashes down under, a shock that we never recovered from.
Momentum is everything in sport,and when it is with you,everything you try,always seems to come off.
In 15 of the past 17 Ashes series,the team winning the First test,went on to win the series.
It will be interesting to see if the Aussies can maintain their discipline in the 2nd test,or whether now they are losing,they will revert to type, and resort to their usual sledging and carrying on, to try and intimidate our team.
I think the Aussies will be in total shock at the moment,as the world and his wife has been telling them how good they are,and how hopeless we are, that another 5 nil thrashing was definitely on the cards.
Now if only the greatest male tennis player ever to grace the game,can knock off the king of the ‘ fake mid match injury ‘,when things aren’t going his way,then my weekend will be complete.
Rod Laver is making a come-back, Clive??!
Öskar
Oscar you cheeky devil. !!
Trev @ 92: Thanks for the drinks. Spoilt hipster that I am (or so it seems 🙂 ), may I offer you a chilled bottle of Chateau d’Esclans 2013 Rose? Please accept, one of my favorite Provencal wines for summer…
I don’t like to say “agree to disagree” because I do not disagree. There is a middle ground between agreeing and disagreeing (even with one’s own opinions), and I find more joy living there. 🙂
You do get angry or irritated, I just see no point to it. These are just some words on your screen.
Take care.
MG @ 112: As a Bostonian I should confirm that we are indeed superior to the rest, we just take particular pride in not showing our superiority.
Except when it matters.
And even then somewhat apologetically.
🙂
And with a regretful lack of irony. 😉
Oskar, yes thanks, noted. 😉
There is a middle ground between agreeing and disagreeing
No there isn’t.
Well, there might be !
🙂
Doctor Faustus. I noticed you did not fail to agree or disagree when discussing the subject of Massachusetts having a coastline on Lake Superior. Trying to have it both ways? 😉
Have you never got a girl a little bit pregnant, Cynic ? 😉
Trev, before I tell you will you promise not to tell her mother?
Holic,
What a grand day! Delighted for you. Looking forward to Lords on Friday!
If I had done, I’d have thrown myself under the wheels of a passing mobility scooter.
feckin speedy bastards
them scooters
big roomy woman
crowbarred into it
wi two warm spoons
clearly
careered around dublin
near me
bastard shopping bags
hangin all directions
fuckin nuisance
.
she got stuck once
kerb in the snow
.
i offered to help
she refused
eff words used
she’d rung her son
.
but for the cold
i’d a hung around
cos he drove the same
yoke as his mother
for the same reason
.
pair o wankers
🙂
yup
fattist
.
fuck off
indeed thats what she said to me
.
good enough fir the
big ignorant dollop
hope
they’re still there
lord knows
they had enough iceland bags
.
*unapologetic*
Cynic @ 132 : Actually there is, the very original Cynics and Stoics and Epicureans knew about it, especially Pyrrho who was as close to Gautama Buddha the west had known. “Ataraxia” comes close to describing the state of mind recommended by the Madhyamika school in Buddhism…seeing nothing possessing of independent origin neither fully void of any meaning. If ideas and opinions are mental models of describing a world of phenomena-consciousness that is inherently in flux and always interdependent then ossified certainties in opinions (agreeing and disagreeing) are … well, sources to clinging and suffering.
Anyway, it takes all kind I suppose … 🙂
8 ball @ 134: As a very famous Bostonian once said, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds” . 🙂
homepride men
out traditional routin’ tomorrow
their best in show ribbons
fer all to see
and lambeg hear
.
oh
how the north of here
has moved on
.
deary me
fau
.
lordy maisie
yer an aggravatin herbert
.
i’m guessin
not only did you have
the tv crew and scoreboard
you had scalextric e-types
ferrying yer team
to the ground
.
annoying posh trolls
.
JUST SAY NO
ME
cba
if you have noticed
i never attack a person
or call names
or try to fit them in
some archetypes of
familiarity
that i have known
or imagined
i thought this was an arsenal
football discussion board and
not
an outlet for our miseries
and annoyance
stay safe
🙂
no
.
can’t
.
i bet you smirk a lot
.
cliched aspirational pastimes and loves
.
.
woulda struggled born
desert island
.
“where’s the artist never to be known as faustus”
.
he’s over there lickin his elbow
waitin on other people to do stuff
so he can quote ,cross reference and steal, repackage
.
and smirk
Anyone remember Psueds Corner ?
Those what can, do, cba.
The rest philosophise, usually second hand, preach and tell the others they are ignorant because they just won’t agree.
How in the hell is Raheem Sterling with £49millions? You got to be fucking kidding me.. Unbelievable whoa!
* fau smirks *
He’s not worth it, but as it’s not our money who cares 🙂
Faustus,
For one who is so sensitive to criticism, accusing your critics of angst, displeasure and even the rather ridiculous verbal violence (yes, all directed at me), you have a surprising penchant for dishing out the scatter-gun insults yourself.
“Never attacking the person”, as you put it, we often see the thinly disguised jibe at the end of a reply, such as the “small minds” to bt8, or the “takes all sorts, i suppose” directed at whoever – I can’t be bothered to check back again.
And yes, you are right, this is an Arsenal discussion forum. It used to be one full of cameraderie, humour, fun and, indeed, serious discussion, populated by brilliant Gooners who actually didn’t need lectures on squad rotation, tactics and double pivotes.
And all the better for it until some contributors attempted to turn it into some kind of pseudo intellectual literary name dropping competition.
Is that non-specific enough for you ?
What was particularly perplexing about the “takes all sorts” reply was that it was made to what was a simple joke along the lines of Monty Python’s argument sketch.
If people want to pull their fake intellectualism out on a football chat page, I’ll have to respond with an increase in knob gags.
Sorry, I used the word perplexing there. It won’t happen again.
154
dick
😉
or was it?
🙁
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgqa3cVOxUc
I have operated a maxim for many years that ( I think) has worked quite well. I don’t take any notice of opinions from people I don’t respect.
I hope and strongly believe that Arsene Wenger operates the same way.
Each close season people equate spend with ambition in the transfer market. Each close season more and more ridiculous fees are paid which inflate the going rate for average/ good/ very good / world class players.
The logic goes that every team is on an accelerating gravy- train which will never come off the rails ( stretching the metaphor) and which will be fuelled by ever increasing revenue. This increases wages and agent’s fees so we now get a situation where a boy barely out of his teens , who has had one good season and a promising ( but no better) Workd Cup provokes an investment that will amount to well over £100 million.This is a boy with an extremely ‘ interesting’ extra- curricular ‘ lifestyle who has forced his way out of Liverpool in a very tawdry way. Not too many clubs care to make that kind of investment. Citeh are the most addicted of the ‘ financially doped’ clubs in the world and the chance of adding a homegrown player with any sort of promise has clearly blown their mind. Half the Arsenal Twittersphere will round on Wenger for not signing him and for ‘ dithering’ while our rivals act.
If we had acquired Sterling which was never remotely likely , where would we have been able to play him? Instead of who? Sanchez, Walcott, Ozil , AOC, Wilshere or Welbeck? Yet he will become a stick to hit Wenger with from large parts of the Goonerverse. That’s why we need a manager with a very thick skin and a sense of balance. Thankfully we have one.
feel a bit bad
lets not gang up on someone
there’s a wee girl down the road
with a big frying pan kaleidoscope lollipop
she can take him on her own
.
“not the face , bridget , not the face”
.
.
i tried
sorry thunder T
that wasn’t directed at ye
.
“stand down , bridget”
.
unfortunate timing m’lud 😉
CBA
No problem my friend!
I’ve been following the thread, I think Zi know what you were getting at!
Kind fellow.
Spot on, ttg.
Man City are desperate for home grown players. Could someone tell them that Niklas Bendtner also qualifies.
Laaaaaarfs.
Lots.
I’d be very sad if the recent efforts from CBA, Trev and Cynic had the effect of muzzling Dr Faustus. I, for one, appreciate cogently argued cases, even those I don’t agree with.
I see no reason to believe that Dr Faustus’s intellectual style is in any way fake. It’s even possible that his dad is bigger than the dads of those mentioned above.
CBA has had the grace, if not to apologise, then at least to admit to feeling bad. I thought this bar was open to all provided they were prepared to discuss Arsenal respectfully.
I feel better for having got that off my chest.
Carry on – or preferably, don’t.
pan G
.
*blows raspberries*
.
😉
.
smart ones
not
pretend ones
pseudo ones
or any combination thereof ones
.
*raspberry*
If by “efforts” you mean the single post I made, I make no apologies for it. If someone wants to react to an obvious joke by peering down their nose and flexing their “intellect” that is their choice. How I react to that is my business.
End of miffedness.
£49 million for Sterling! Time to crawl back under a rock until proper football resumes.
Meanwhile, play nice, people.
ned
yer a pillar of this place
information given
and greatly appreciated
.
your information is delivered with style
and no small amount of humour
.
but
sometimes a pressure cooker of frustration builds
when people feel patronised and lectured to
about things so dear to them
and in such a clumsy school-marm
wrapped in mickey mouse intellectualism manner
.
fuck a doodle
we wouldnt be here if we weren’t GOONERS
but
a lesson every day can and does prove tiresome
as indeed can a drunk man saying mooo tooo
.
😉
baaaaa
your cows lowing the tone again, cab ……..
time for me to cluck off …..
😉
We really need some football to get our minds concentrated on important stuff rather than getting niggly with one another.
I haven’t read all the exchanges but I’m a little surprised to find Dr F the subject of them. He’s one of the smarter intellects here in my book and I would have said he was simply being mis-read by some – if some of the some weren’t also among the smarter bears. Curiouser and curiouser as Alice said, and perhaps I should open out ‘like the largest telescope that ever was’ and examine the evidence more closely.
But I can’t be bothered. Can we move on?
Sterling business by Liverpool. Half a mil purchase parleyed 10,000% into £50m. And precious little real evidence he’s worth a fraction of that, imo.
Öskar
Is there a mathematician here who can confirm the above 10,000%, as opposed to 100 times the original outlay. I may have confused myself! Not uncommon…
Öskar
I foresee trouble and intolerance amongst the flock whilst the shepherd is away.
Ooops – “you’re late again Nostradamus” as my mother used to say.
Oh well – the future isn’t what it used to be anyway.
Otd: £50 million is indeed 10,000% of £500,000 but £500,000 is 1% of £50 million as £50 million is 100 times £50,000. So hope that clears that up 🙂
But it is a ridiculous price however you reckon it — except for QPR, which apparently gets a 20% sell-on fee, which works out to £9.8 million.
cba: All things in moderation, as we hold here at Castle Ned, including moderation.
Morning transfer buffs and haters alike!
I actually came here to touch on that Sterling business.
The Poo sold him for £49 mill. That is £44 mill and £5 mill in ad-ons!
Then take away the £9.8 to QPR.
Then around another 9 mill in agency fees and loyalty bonus! (To my reckoning but correct me if I am wrong. Could be less, could be more. But for the sake of this little experiment, I’ll carry on).
As I understand it, the Poo walk away with 24.2 mill but then re-invested it in an unproven by adding on 5 mill which they have not yet received in add-ons and they are left with a 5 mill deficit! (to be received based on the performance of a bench warmer)
So they buy Sterling for £500,000 and end up with a Flumi-NO!
Now that sounds about right!
All I can say is, they should have been smoking what we’re smoking!
puff, puff, pass!
Anybody else wanna hit this?
😆
In other news!
So Man U continues to rebuild by continuing to over spend by buying an aging schweinsteiger and schneiderlin in haste, just in case somebody else gets him.
I’m still not convinced by the business they’re doing over there either. When was the last time they broke through one of their own academy boys?
It all looks a little desperate from over here at the home of football.
Let’s see aye?
Pre-season glimpses tomorrow! CNN US own the rights to air the tournament live I believe. Meanwhile over in sunny south-London dodgystreamrus!
Thanks Ned. I was pretty sure I was right, but 10,000% just sounds so much more than 100 times. Whatever, we all seem agreed it’s the kind of loot only a club with more money than sense would risk. What price Sterling ending up in Turkey in due course? 🙂
Öskar
The Singapore game is on Sky Sports 1 at 1.30pm on Wednesday.
Just broke the news to a very disappointed Southampton supporter that they have lost Schneiderlin to United. He reckoned he was by far the best player in their team Aside from that he thought the best value buy this summer was Petr Cech.
The week has started well with Sanogo going ( or nogoing) to Ajax. Dennis is a genius but that’ s a tough gig to give to any coach.
Perhaps we can get Bendtner back now? He’s home- grown as Trev pointed out.
Oh wow Cynic?
I’m now getting emotional! What a nice surprise! The last I heard we had to do without!
That’s brightened up my day! 😆
Oh and well done for caring Sky!
I still feel we should have tried to sign Schneiderlin. If that was the last business we did this summer I think we could have had a team ready to challenge for both the PL&CL. Am not buying the whole idea of using Rambo or Wilshere for that position. We can’t rely on Coquelin to stay fit or not lose form all season.
SAG – We led the table with Captain fantastic and only started to slip up when he became injured.
In any case, you would think that whoever we were to add for that position would have to trump Schneiderlin and hit the ground running, no?
ttg@180: Probably a much better development loan for Sanogo than going to another Premiership club. At least the raw material is there for DB to work on, with the emphasis on raw.
Ttg,
It looks like my plan has become somewhat warped on it’s journey through cyberspace.
My idea was to recommend the home grown Bendtner to Manchester City as their desperation appears to know no bounds – not to bring him back to The Emirates.
Good grief ! It took years to get rid of him in the first place – he being TGSTEL (The Greatest Stick-arounder That Ever Lived) an’all.
Is he still at Wolfsburg, so famously formerly coached by Wolfgang Wolf (sorry, it just has to be said whenever possible) ?
Whenever they were on the telly last season, there never seemed to be any sign of the blighter…….
United doing the city way??? buy all, play none and ensure others dont get them either.
The joke of the day has to be sterling for 49 million. Its a loss loss for both i feel. City have overpaid and pool have lost their match winner. Again he was a pool match winner and i cannot see him being the same for city. He will have his moments but fairly scattered.
Should we have bought schneiderlin? Yes of course for i do not believe le coq can last the distance and arteta is not the answer. Carvalho or one of the bender brothers seem to be the only ones left until and unless Wenger springs a surprise.
lastly, gutted to see federer lose yesterday. It just feels the joker has his number ala rafa did before. Sad to see the finest player ever unable to have one last hurrah.
The Poo seem to be the jokes of the transfer Market of late!
Whoever’s drafting their contracts down there needs to stop getting on the players nerves by insisting that they cannot leave unless they do this and do that! Everyone knows that they rarely qualify for the champions’ league, so that is a useless term to include!
Amway, the oil slickers will continue to waste money to paper the cracks and FFP will continue to be a rich man’s joke, full of loopholes!
😆
@Vinnay- I sure hope Wenger springs a surprise because it won’t be fun going into the new season with Flamini and Arteta as our only other DM. I feel that’s all we really need to mount a challenge next season.
Viney. Agreed about Federer-Djokovic. One is so likable and so … not.
Also, Federer is the only male tennis player other than Agassi who can play a beautiful all-around game like the great Australian players (Laver, Rosewall, Roche and Newcombe) and a few others I remember from my childhood. The Djokovices of the world have redefined men’s tennis for the worse in my opinion even though they are the best. When power overcomes all other considerations is tennis the winner??
Sing and Pour.
Sing and Pour.
That is even my strategy when were are not playing in Singapore. But why not take advantage of a new reason to sing and pour? Or even to pour and sing although that could offend the locals. Hope not though. 🙂
About Schneiderlin.
If he signed for Manchester United then we don’t want him. Not Arsenal material at all. 🙁
Afternoon all, sorry so quiet but wifi in Cornwall is optional it seems. If I can get a signal pn Tuesday morning I will post the live stream of the away kit launch at lunchtime. Pray for me!
I correct myself. Arteta kept smacking into people and got himself banned if I recall. I think the injuries followed.
It all seems like an eternity as opposed to a year and a half ago!
Anyway, roll on tomorrow!
Ah thee away kit!
Little man, choose wisely!
Away kit, home kit? That is the question!
Hey ‘holic. First prayer offered. Praying you enjoy a lovely holiday that is. 🙂
Wifi optional. What a great idea. What else will they decide to make optional next? 🙂
Trev,
I too had plans for TGSTEL. I had a van and gang of reprobates ready to dump him in a sack at Crystal Palace when Holoway was there. Then Mourinho reneged on the Demba Ba deal and we had to take him back. I’ve seen very little of him since ( praise the Lord) but Ned may have the lowdown
Good news on Jenkinson on several fronts.
http://news.arseblog.com/2015/07/jenkinson-pens-5-year-arsenal-deal-ahead-of-hammers-loan/?utm_source=feedburner.com%2Farseblognews&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arseblognews+%28Arseblog+News+-+the+Arsenal+news+site%29
We sign him to a long term contract, and loan him back to West Ham where he got plenty of playing time last season and did well. Arsenal is happy, the player is happy, and West Ham is happy. Can anybody spot anything wrong with this?
I’ll think of something…
SET UP
Bang!
Can anybody spot anything wrong with this?
Yes. The words “West Ham is happy”. 🙂
Personally I would have kept Jenkinson and sent Chambers out on loan.
Jenkinson- less an expression of faith, more a ruse to screw a bigger fee out of West Ham- ‘ the taxpayer’s team’ . Chambers is more versatile but I like the Corporal. If only we had as many top strikers as right backs.
A Grimsby Town fan has been found guilty of assaulting a football steward with an inflatable shark.
That’s something you don’t read every day.
Very happy about Corporal Jenkinson’s new contract and re-loan move – he’s definitely still one for the future and homegrown too; he’ll learn alot from Bilic.
Regarding Schneiderlin, he’s clearly got limited ambition so Manure is the best place for him. I’m still holding out for Vidal. We need a proper “used-to-winning nasty b****rd” in the middle of the park with the technicality. Anything less, not worth it. Lacazette rumours gathering momentum too.
Heh! Cynic.
I think I might read it every day – just to cheer meself up ! 🙂
Cynic.
I knew somebody would spot something. Just didn’t think it would be as egregious as that. 😉
Hello All.
So, what’s been happening? A few clubs that I do not care about have signed a few players that I do not care about. As you were. I will lose no sleep over the fact that we did not sign Schneiderlin.
Jenks on a new deal and a loan to Wham. All good.
The plane video is weirdly entertaining. Chuba Akpom can always fall back on his career as a rapper if the professional footballer thing does not pan out for him. Or maybe not.
I am keen to see how the rest of the transfer window plays out for us. I have no idea if we will buy two more players for a combined £70m or if we are done. I imagine it depends on who becomes available.
Great news that we are on Sky. It has been ages since we saw the boys in action. I can’t wait.
News item:
Hugo Lloris breaks his wrist.
This news item was brought to you
By Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, the club that just keeps on giving.
bt8b: would it be indelicate to ask how Lloris broke his wrist?
GSD@200: well in for the double ton.
Cynic@203: if you are going shark, try this:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1N9EA-P1G2w/TilNKV8DW-I/AAAAAAAAAKI/1aIAh0H4G9Y/s1600/Headington+Shark.jpg
I am going shark, but not until July 23rd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAmYUt1-5Rg
🙂
And if you think THAT looked awesome, check THIS out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unnLg1TPCYM
Ned. That depends on which hand he was using at the time but I’m sure Spurs have a clause in his contract about not using the wrong hand. The BBC says the cause has not been disclosed but we all know what that really means. Judging by how much he wastes on players David Levy spares no expense on lawyers either so I’m sure there are no delicate chaps in Spurs legal office. God rest Lloris’ soul.
Oh yeah love that plane video.
The best team with the best facilities!
Wenger:
“Every one. Take a look to the left. Now take a look to the right. Not everybody will make it through the season injury free. The key is to make sure that it is not you. Go easy and enjoy the tour. We have the Emirates Cup in two weeks”
They say that if you use your wrong hand, 8 ball, it’s like someone else is doing it. But I don’t wish to know if it’s true, okay!
Öskar
You’d think a goalkeeper would be more wary of going blind…
Öskar
Well, he clearly didn’t see what he was getting into by joining Spurs, Otd.
🙂
Watching pre-season Arsenal games, is like having a bath with your socks on.
Delicately put ! 😉
Precisely why I’m not even interested in the Charity Shield.
Morning all. The live stream of the away kit launch may or may not be on here at 1.30 BST. Heads for yes, tails for oh bollocks.
And if it lands on the edge?
they’ll have to play in their pants and vest
forgotten p.e. kit stylee
That’ll please far too many of the drinkers in this bar
Probably
*giroud’s agent rigs ‘holic’s coin*
I do hope the DM will come sooner than never. I do not foresee coquelin lasting the distance and also maintaining the standards expected.
My worry though is we may not sign a DM at all for Wenger would want to fit both Jack and Ramsey in the playing 11 and the only way we can see that happening is playing them in the midfield as the pivot. This will reduce Santi’s playing time for i do not see Ozil being rested for any games. The 3 guaranteed starters in this team are Ozil, Sanchez and Kos.
Pre season from tomorrow and the boys are soaking in the sun in humid Singapore. Usually will be fun and games but expect a few to make this their stake to first team, so expect the likes of Welbeck, Ox and Arteta to have good games.
Tabs @ 61,
It is great to see you back here again providing interesting commentary. I do hope your keeping well.
I don’t disagree with you in relation to the need for supplementary support for Le Coq – its just that we now know how Wenger tends to view these things from his transfer policy in the past and how that’s changed so significantly in recent years. I think the mighty Arseblogger sums it up perfectly this morning when he refers to the signing of “Blue Chip” players. We will now only spend money on players that instantaneously improve the side. Cech is a blue chip player as is Alexis and Ozil. When these names are mentioned, any debate or consideration is almost immediately made redundant imo. You just automatically sign these if you get the opportunity to do so.
I certainly could never say the same about Schneiderlinn for instance. And from what the trusted Phillippe Auclair has said, his representatives by all accounts wanted incredible wages. So I’m delighted that common sense seems to have prevailed in that matter – but I certainly would not be adverse to the replacement of Flamini, IF he decided to go, which I don’t think will be likely considering how he has managed to financially optimize his tenure with every single club he’s joined largely because he’s always moved on a Bosman.
As for the stellar names you mentioned – I think Karim Benzema is a definite target. If either he or Reus became available – they too fall into that “Blue Chip” category from where I sit. I’m really relaxed about it all if I’m being honest. This is a really strong squad that can only be strengthened by the addition of top class players. A far cry from where we were a few years ago when we couldn’t hold onto the ones we had! So it’s all good and very interesting times to be a fan I feel.