Hleb In No Mans Land?
May 14th, 2008 by 'holic
“Hleb has been playing in London for three years now and isn’t sure whether in the future he can show the level of talent that he is showing currently.”
So says Nikolai Shpilevski, agent of Alex Hleb. The implied threat that his client won’t be busting a gut to improve on his impressive goalscoring record (lowest form of wit, I know!) pales into insignificance against the main reason behind his desire to quit Arsenal.
According to the Sun (yes, I know, but it claims to be a direct quote), Γ’β¬ΕAlex is tired of the noisy and chaotic life in London and feels like living in calmer surroundings”.
I trust when he arrives in Milan he will find the gentle rural ambiance to his liking!
In all truth this is clearly an attempt by the despicable Shpilevski to force Arsenal’s hand, and Hleb himself appears to be remaining tactfully tight-lipped. Clearly the pair of them have realised that the much-quoted “Webster’ clause is likely to be difficult to invoke, and the Gunners are taking a hard line on negotiations.
“In any case I can say simply that Alexander will not buy out the remaining part of his five-year contract for a fixed sum of his sale. Hleb is a gentleman and will not stoop to that level. Everything will be done properly.” is agent-speak for “we don’t have grounds to terminate the contract early and my client will face a lengthy spell on the sidelines if we try”.
It is difficult to see how Hleb can remain a Gunner, but clearly Inter will have to come up with an offer that is acceptable to Arsenal, who are refusing to be won over by the promise of a tiramisu or two. They may reconsider under those circumstances.
His odious agent may just have placed Hleb between a rock and a hard place.
58 Responses to “Hleb In No Mans Land?”
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If we sign a promising player ..which Arsene seems to sort out in the next few days…& if hes a forward(&in the wings) which many are speculating it would be…then i wouldnt mind Hleb leaving…
I mean cmon he definetly has intentions of leavin..never has he come out in public & clarified anything…&he obviously has taken the extra step by having ice-cream with potentially his future club…therefore better to let go a “no man’s land” player than to fight & retain a player who will not be fully committed which will definetly show in his play…& we wouldnt even have atleast the 3goals he scored last season!
The promising player’s arrival hopefully will overlap all the doubts after hleb’s departure…
So bye bye..another UNGRATEFUL CUNT !
I think we can all agree that Hleb will definitely not be with us next year. Now it is about getting the best possible deal their is? I say give us Adriano and Maicon for Hleb and some cash…What do you think?
It is one of the most embarassing excuses to say when you want to leave! Why can’t Hleb just say he wants to leave, and then everyone can just reply that how great he is, and how he will be missed by Arsenal. Looks like he or his agent are not gentlemen enough to spit it out like a man.
For that alone, I will let him go AT A PRICE suitable for the club. Good riddance!
Personally I would like Hleb to stay. I know this has not been his finest hour by a long chalk, but you must try to remember the impact he has on the pitch. It’s no good banging on about his lack of goal-scoring. His game is about keeping possession and unlocking defences for others to score. Think of the match at Anfield, he was immense. At Christmas people were debating if Hleb was better than Liam Brady! Whatever the story behind his agent’s words I say, let’s keep the door open for Hleb. If he goes he goes, but if he stays then good!
Timao I see your point mate but there has not been one positive point coming from his agent. These people are a dime a dozen and if Hleb didn’t like what this cunt was saying he would be on his bike. He is doing the dirty work for Hleb….He wants to go.
I think the Agent may have been slightly misquoted on the translation. He is probably referring to the fact that at 27, this will be Hleb’s last opportunity to get a big pay-day on a contract, which is why he is testing out the other opportunities.
What he seems to forget though is that Flamini got the big pay-out because he was out of contract so there was no fee to be paid, which enabled AC to pay him a massive signing on bonus.
Hleb is a luxury player, he does have great ball retention skills and the ability to create space for others, but as an attacking midfielder his contribution by way of goals should be much higher. I’m sure Inter were interested if he came relatively cheaply via the Webster clause, but whether they will be prepared to pay Arsenal’s valuation is another matter. I don’t really see many teams fighting over his signature and of course it’s better for the agent if he moves on because he will get a bigger cut than if Alex just stays with Arsenal.
All this posturing could end up being quite embarassing if Alex ends up having to swallow his pride and stay with Arsenal if the big money offers don’t come flooding in after all!
Timao I would have to disagree with that he does hold ball up well he a good dribler however part of reason we had goal drout is likes hleb and abuoe dont score goals. He has playing here for three years and he has scord less than 10 goals and he i s winger renando has scord three times more than in one season. Arsenal are a top team you need your midfielder to ship in and score goals.
I has put himself in this situation,if had gone to manager and said that he was not happy in london then I believe things would quite different, but the fact that went behind the manager back and talks with another team.
The bottom line is Hleb shows sines of brilliance on a odd occation but has noend product the manger should sell him and get a winger that can not only has good link player but slightling pace and can score goals at least 10 goals a season
Really don’t care if he is thinking of leaving maybe next few days Le Bos will get some one to replace him.
“At Christmas people were debating if Hleb was better than Liam Brady”
I hope those people were caught, sedated, and returned to the asylum.
Hleb is still a good player, and link up well with fabregas. I’m not sure a new player will do that. It’s also better to say nothing than something stupid, so if he decides to stay, he has at least not talked bad about the club or the manager.
He’s not irreplaceable, and should have scored more goals, but it would be better for the stability of the team if he stayed…
Looks like Yaya wants to be a gunner.
“I am aware of the interest from the Premier League,” Toure told skysports.com.
“But I can’t say anything yet – however it would be great to play in a big team with my brother, it would be fantastic but you never know.”
That could fix the flamini problem.
I’m struggling to catch up with your blogs publication, ‘holic.
Still all the best to you know who, and a preventive hello to KTbird for later.
And heh at that Brady/Hleb quote indeed.
I have to add that I, for one, would totally be bowled over by the promise of a tiramisu.
ah yes, that busy metropolis that is Enfield, having lived there all my life i can understand alex’s problems, those pesky leafy roads with those quaint little pubs and edwardian cottages and the gated security of Hadley Wood where there’s no-one on the streets after 5 according to jose reyes…it’s enough for the brussian to pine for the quiet of Milan where there’s no traffic or loud italians….fuck off mate, fuck off to a team that loves players that don’t shoot.
Hleb appears to have burnt his bridges at Arsenal regardless of whether you think he’s a great player or a luxury item. His only way back now is to categorically deny any association with his agent’s comments and declare his loyalty to Arsenal, but it isn’t likely to happen. He has had an exceptional season this year – and this year only – just like Flamini, and while it does look like the heart of our midfield is leaving … it may not turn out to be so bad. Hleb’s season has seen his value rise based some glittering performances but I’m not convinced that he delivers enough goals or assists – yes he can dribble and retain the ball exceptionally well but the end result is too often a wayward pass, a weak shot, or a coy refusal to pull the trigger at all … and I doubt if he’ll re-produce his form of this season in the future, so Wenger is doing the right thing by his dogged determination not to let Hleb go, when he knows it’s too late, we’ll get the best price for him. Come to terms with it now – Hleb wants out and there can be no place for him at Arsenal with an attitude like that.
football agents are uber-cunts.
that is all.
The only player that I can think Arsene might like in exchange would be ESTEBAN CAMBIASSO. Believe me, we don’t want Adriano at Arsenal. He was the most promising young player in Italy at one point, but like a couple of other notable Brazilians he has some serious personal issues. He has been drinking steadily for the last three years, out till all hours and having numerous affairs after being reprimanded by Inter. Hence why he is currently at Sao Paulo (where he demands that journalists address him as the emporer) and is likely to sign there permanantly if Inter have their way. He is far too much trouble and a disruptive influence.
As for HLEB is a bit of a disgrace to be honest. He is leaving because he realises that in a few years he will have to work hard every year for a new contract at Arsenal, and the money will only get worse. But Massimo Moratti wastes money like nobody else, and pays players big money long after they are over the hill. The one thing I will say is that it is extremely difficult to replace him like for like. If we wanted to do that, the clear choice in my eyes would be MIKEL ARTETA. Moyes is actually content that he has other players who can deliver now, so wouldn’t be as aversed to a transfer as this time last year. He has decent footwork, is good friends with Cesc so can develop good on-pitch understanding, his end product is vastly better than HLEB’s, he has an inch perfect cross, can play on a wing or more centrally, wouldn’t cost the earth and he can shoot from range and score some goals! But if we sign BEN ARFA, then perhaps a HLEB replacement might not be that important?
Hello everybody
lonely, lonely, lonely
π
As pointed out,Hleb has had an opportunity to declair his loyalty to the club.If he was to leave ,it would,nt be the end of the world.We already have fran,carlos vela,randell,walcot,and maybe Ben arfa for this position.More worrying is the fact that when you look at the other top three teams in the league you see goalkeepers that really make a difference,at arsenal you don’t this needs to be addressed.Song,sendeross,hoyte,eboue,fabinski,bredtner are simply not good enorgh,lets start a minor clear out of the dead wood.As much as injuries and bad refering discisions have played a key roll in the team finishing the season potless,so have the players named above.
Morning KT. Doing the rounds I see.
If it is any consolation you are not missing much.
π
You got the headline just about right today. Hleb is certainly no man π
I can see that I am not missing much, ‘holic. But it would be so much better if I could participate….
Well this is all very cosy, I must say ‘holic. Not been here before. If I had one criticism, though, it would be that there are no red leather sofas;-)
Hleb in No Mans Land.Is he replacing John Gielgud?
Hleb is probably the most frustrating Arsenal player of recent times.
He should have the words FINAL PRODUCT tatooed on his forehead.
London noisy and chaotic.Surely he can`t be talking about the elegant boulevard that is the Holloway Road.
I often take a moment to meditate in this oasis of calm.
Best wishes to the wife.
Phew, lots of refugees in the place. I’d better hide my Wurthers before they all vanish…
And lo, the refugees didst vanish ‘pon the withdrawal of sweety comestibles.
Heh
i’ve brought some eclairs, put the kettle on.
Tea or coffee? You’re not having my Ovaltine π
Smiting happening on the guns. Do you mind if I hang out here ‘holic?
If not perhaps there could be a small arses announcement.
*smiles winningly*
Just a strong dark coffee for me please.
No problem KT. Smiting is a rarely used option here, but you’ll have to mind the dust. Don’t get many visitors, I’m afraid.
*sneezes*
I think we can drop the formalities ‘holic.
howdy….
*waves to everyone before scampering off*
This really is rather nice, isnt it?
Its like cocktail hour;-)
Off to a meeting now. Back later though.
Thanks to ‘holic for allowing me to be exiled here….
Typical woman. Snaps her fingers, males come a running and she leaves.
Is your clock off, ‘h?
No, it’s just on a go slow.
Mmm, wonder where the time zone setting is? I’ll try and fiddle under the bonnet later.
Fussy you beggars, aren’t you?
I think the clock is on GMT
*tries to be helpful*
It’s just that with the time being an hour out, it looks like nobody has errrmmm ‘holicked (?) for ages. π
They usually haven’t Ricey!
Text from bftsshmate suggests that Mad Jens was at her yoga class again today….
He’s keeping himself supple for the Euro’s. I miss the nutter.
‘Salright ‘ere, innit?
esspresso for this cultured european right here please….is alex bringing the ice cream? tell him fragole is my fave, there’s an awesome place he can get some in Finsbury Park along the Stroud Green rd
*Wanders in and looks about.*
*Tuts and picks up the left litter*
Honestly ‘holic…… this place could do with a lick of paint and some polish.
Sorry Hazza, it’s a bachelor pad at the moment. I’ll consider my summer modification schedule at some point. (Maybe not this summer though!)
Thanks for the excellent hospitality today, ‘holic. I have left a bottle of something on the mantlepiece.
…and believe it or not, I’m drinking it! You know you are welcome until the big man has sorted you out, if you’ll pardon the expression.
π
I shall also buy you a pint in the Tolli when you’re next there, ‘holic.
Alright, that;s three times I’ve asked for a Guinness now and been refused! ‘Holic, do you ever clean those bloody barrels out?
All the best to Mrs ‘holic…..
And KTb has been restored to the arses…
I think you are fully aware Dutch that the Guinness passes through my pipes at such a rate that they never need cleaning out!
π