Sweet Sixteen – New Signings
Jun 8th, 2014 by 'holic
On a balcony in Rio Arsene sips at his morning coffee and chuckles to himself. He is reading just the first page of NewsNow.
Aymeric Laporte, David Marshall, Calum Chambers, Carlos Vela, David Ospina, Loic Remy, Clement Grenier, Morgan Schneiderlin, Antoine Griezmann, Mario Balotelli, Romelu Lukaku, Alvaro Morata, Danilo, Lorenzo Insigne, Karim Benzema, Iker Casillas.
On one page alone he sees he is supposed to be throwing a hedgehog of a warchest at the transfer window dartboard. His mobile rings.
“Hello Dick, where are you? Yachting? No deals on again today? Not to worry, just get Highbury House to drop another sixteen names in selected ears tomorrow. Take it easy, Dick. Oh…you are.”
Good News Too
Roy Hodgson has said of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain,
“I think he will make the tournament without a shadow of a doubt. That’s good news.”
Good news indeed for the Ox and England, who frankly looked devoid of the creativity and urgency he can provide against Honduras last night.
I know that selfishly some of us might yearn for Arsenal’s stars to pick up three week injuries about now, but it must be more important for the players subconscious and confidence to test themselves against the best in the world.
And with that I bid you well in the garden. You are in the garden, aren’t you?
160 Responses to “Sweet Sixteen – New Signings”
Arsenal News 24/7
We are signing sixteen players? Who knew?
Just back from walking the dog. Now to have breakfast before heading out for a bike ride in the bright, California-like sunshine which seems to be trying to make up for yesterday’s torrential rain. 🙂
Settle down, ‘Holic and ‘holics.
Remember last summer? Why not try not winding ourselves into a frenzy this summer?
Ooooooom ooooooom oooooooom
Looking for a cba-approved Irish whiskey seeing as the mention of Bushmills in the last drinks inspired quite a rant. 😉
in the garden, cutting down trees and digging stumps…still preferable to transfer twaddle…
Some of us have to work
Haha, nice one neighbour 🙂
Just sitting in the dark and counting the number of voices I hear in my head
‘pologies ‘holic
i’m usually horizontal
in my verticalness
i just get the hump
sometimes with
names
.
i use paddy and mick meself
to mean other than names
but
i didn’t like being patronised
by someone who clearly
doesn’t have the wordy wherewithal
to back it up
despite his delusions
.
and
bt8
as regards whissik
i enjoy a drop of crested ten
green spot if it’s financially available
and
you should be askin himself
for his recommendations
he’s a better source
of tea coloured fallin down water than me
.
i make me own
and
it’s see through
.
goes down
like a pricey hoor
in house slippers
‘holic
i appreciate you say
the ‘holicnation is a broad church
not least
cos yer a broad old unit
and
i appreciate the fact
that ye’ve not
so much been broad
as built a secure extension
to house my shite
so
if ye don’t mind
i’m gonna say bye bye
for a wee while
and
some fuckin day soon
i will be the awkward person
under the tollie brollie
red and throat raw from the game
buying all you fuckin terrific gentlemen a pint
(two for wind – students are always poor-mouthing)
.
cheers big man
cheers ‘holics
ya mad feckin hoors
.
Watching the almost invincible on clay at Roland Garros Rafa Nadal in action.
Sitting in a Thai garden bar outside Bangkok. Listening to a really loud/bad cover band, but feeling relaxed because i have 45 minutes before coup curfew. Does that count as gardening? 🙂
Tongue in cheek, you say, ‘Holic. But whose tongue and whose cheek? I think we should be told.
Nice verse cba. I would like to read your other poetry if want to share. Really.
And by the by ‘holic, you never have to prove your credentials to anyone–you are by far, the most historical gooner around. Okay that didn’t come out quite right.
You are a living legend in this blog world and I hope at some point I’ll get the opportunity to have non virtual pints with you all in the Tollie.
It’s now sweet fourteen for Nadal, with nine of those at the French Open.
cba,
Not sure how long you’ve said good-bye for but –
not actually shuffling, strutting or tap dancing. Crutches are gone, some days walking is almost normal, some days it’s still a bit limpy.
Quite a bit of nerve irritation from the knee into the foot, but getting there.
Good of you to ask, old fruit.
Talking of old fruit, you can make your own falling down water from that too.
I must get back to the garden. Actually, not today as my daughter is in a big dance show – and jolly good it was too.
Anything but football, me. 😉
Good to hear of the progress, Trev.
Now, back to tilling the Elysian Fields for me…
My perfect summer, version 2:
Free transfer goalie
A right back 7/8mil (That Aurier looks cool and “Bison” is a decent enough nickname)
Ginter 7/8mil
Young DM prospect 10/15mil
Balotelli 25mil
Cesc 25mil
Alexi Sanchez 20mil
Reckon I squeezed every last drop out of the fabled war chest 🙂
UTA
Nice one guvna.
Sixteen already?……and counting methinks.
I will be delighted with 4 to be honest.
Nice wording cba.
Glad you’re progressing Trev – keep at it!
cba, you will be sorely missed and if you reconsider we’ll be chuffed to mintballs to see you back, my friend. In the meantime, good luck fella.
Thank you mondo, fossil I am 😉
Trev, Ned, bath, EP et al, thank you. Hope your weekend was a good one.
Cheers Holic, same to you.
As a lovely end to a Sunday what is a long weekend in Denmark, it seems that Laurent Koscielny just got even cooler. It didn’t seem possible.
Really, really hope we wake up tomorrow to newsnow filled with Frimpong’s Instagram account ripping the little French shit.
UTA
#FreeCesc
Cheers CBA , Laureate Supreme. Be back soon!
Holic– your article underlines how ridiculous these websites are.
The likelihood is NONE of them will even merit a bid from Dick and Arsene! Silly season indeed!
Trev, glad to hear you are slowly recovering and the surgery seems to have been a success. May the next year be a better one for you. 🙂
Not that your punning was subpar in any way this year, mind you.
cba,
You’ve been a real virtual mate during my difficulties and you’re too much a part of this place to disappear.
In the end it’s your decision but we’ll be poorer without you.
Cheers, Ned, bath. Hope you had a good one too, H’.
Cheers 8ball – think we just crossed.
Gods speed, cba.
CBA’s just aestivating. He’ll soon return. I imagine it takes a great deal of mental fortitude to “compose” such missives. 😛
Good to hear of the recovery, Trev.
(insert pithy benediction)
it’s ’til not till
as you used
hope you don’t think i’m being pedantic
cba (#224 last drinks)
——————————————————————–
I don’t think you pedantic, cba, just plain wrong. Till and until are interchangeable, although until is considered better to start a sentence, while till is generally considered less formal, ergo perfectly correct in a blog.
Your suggestion that ’til is the correct abbreviation of until is pure invention, and by many long before you. In fact till is the older word and until is derived from it.
Hope you don’t think I’m being pedagogic. 😉
Öskar
Aah. Back-reading I see cba electing to retire citing a dislike of being patronised by me! When was that, cba? You objected to my pronunciation of an Irish golfer’s name, even though I was quoting the man himself, and now lay into me in #8 above as … “someone who clearly doesn’t have the wordy wherewithal to back it up despite his delusions”. Really?
Rule of thumb: Always check your facts before correcting someone. (see my previous).
Öskar
…and don’t be such a sad sack, meet me in the bar and share a Bushmills. I’ll pronounce it any way you like. 🙂
Öskar
Hehe
I see Holic has served more transfer talk in the bar, shaken and not stirred!
😆
Anyway, I had to take a break from the furore this weekend. Had to take a step back.
Nobody was able to confirm anything. Journalists sound more confused by the day. They can’t work out whose sign who, where or when. Hahahaha! If I had it my way, I’d say that’s as much as they deserved. No offence to any journo’s in the bar, but nobody likes a bent copper, do they?
I hope the England squad do not watch sky sports news in their spare time. It’s not like they need anymore pressure now do they?
Just get out there and enjoy yourselves lads. Try to control the game and take your chances. Try to defend high up the pitch and try to prevent any silly chances for the opposition.
Could it be more simple? Well let’s see? Other teams could have more sophisticated action plans up their sleeve. Like, “pass it the Christiano” 😆
Who knows?
I could really go for a bit of Balotelli. He would be wonderful.
I’d go so far as to say that he’s better than Cavani or Costa and given his age a better purchase than Falcao would have been. This could be huge for the club. At the 20/25mil being quoted he’s a steal.
Throw in a tenacious young buck in midfield and a speedy winger (Sanchez please) and Cesc can go where he pleases.
Striker, winger, DM. Those would be my priorities.
UTA
#FreeBalotelli
Mandzukic confirms he is leaving Bayern.
Just saying.
🙂
Non-football, and several months old, but I hadn’t seen this before:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/15/fukuppy-fukushima-mascot-japan-fridge-egg-name
35 – I wouldn’t touch him with Giroud’s barge-pole. (He’s a poor man’s Giroud.)
#FreeBalotelli
El Puno – do you really want this guy? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNeYJtxy6iI as I said, Marios ability is of no question, his attitude and general batshit craziness is what worries me.
The immediate focus needs to be a right back and a defensive midfielder, that is far more important than Mario?mandzukic etc. The way we were run over by the likes of chelshit, fools and the sheikhs makes me shudder. I mean it should never happen to us ever again. So a DM a must, if we get 2 even better for i would love to see a Schneiderlin/Matuidi combo than a arteta/flamini one. I still believe if we cant get the big names, let us not keep it to late for the ones we can definitely buy now- schneiderlin and as a back up i will even have Diame if we cant get anyone else.
RB, well i was shocked to know that we had bid for Juanfran twice, he would have been awesome but then he wont come. So if it Aurier get him now, if he has even a half decent world cup then we are in a bidding war which means we back off .
Nice one Maestro 😆
Not interested in a striker first vinay ?
Who is going to knock in the all important goals
Sanogo ?
37 – Yes, I really, really want that guy. You could make a decent compilation of dodgy tackles or rash acts from Patrick Vieira in his early years to. It’s irrelevant. Only 23 and maturing by all accounts. Most importantly, he is supremely talented. Just what we need.
Don’t get the obsession with a right-back. Sure we will buy one and we should, but can’t see our new right-back and keeper costing more than 10mil combined. Unless we really hit gold on a full-back, won’t change our side hugely. Jenks could do why Bac did and I don’t think he’d cost us many points.
What we really need to take us up a level is a holding midfielder, another winger, and a striker.
My dream summer, version 3:
Balotelli
Sanchez
Martinez
That would change our entire squad in terms of depth and quality. No more running Giroud into the ground. No more being overly reliant on Theo to offer pace to our side. No more being open as an Essex girl when we play away. We have the money for 3 marquee signings like that and enough spare to add competition to No1 in goal and the Jenks/Bellerin combo coming through in defence.
#FreeBalotelli
I noticed that when we have lost 5 and 6 away this has stemmed from being caught high up the pitch or on set plays. We are better at set plays, but more height and strength somewhere else in the team, wouldn’t go a miss. A striker, who can claw a goal back and change the dynamics of the game, can help. We have capacity for a striker so I feel we should at least get one. To be fair, we really need around two more, but one reliable goal scorer will do if we are restricted. Then I reckon a DM is more important than a CB if nobody else decides to leave. I will leave the creative side to Arsene, as there’s always a surprise. But if the little Catalan fella doesn’t come back, a tricky winger/attacker who is different from what we already have would be a great addition.
EP: Bellerin is 19, Jenkinson is 22. My guess would be that AW wants to sign an older RB on a two-to-three-year contract to give the Corporal some competition for the starting place and Bellerin more time to develop.
Also, anyone have any views on Lyon’s Maxime Gonalons as a potential DM? Seems a typical AW signing: 6’1″ and 25 years old, French international, but not in the WC squad so cheaper (valued at £10 million) than the Gustavo/Bender/Matic/Fernando/Sandro set of DMs.
44 – I reckon we might go that way to. Would explain the Juanfran chatter. Maybe we want a Monreal (who I think is generally underrated) who can come in and offer solidity and experience straight away. Aurier sounds fun, but unless AW is sold on Jenks defensively can’t see it.
I don’t know Gonalons, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we went relatively cheap there as well. At home I think we’d still like to play 2 more creative players at the base. (Wilshere Ramsey hasn’t worked yet, but you can see AW wants it to.)
El Puno – not bothering with a goalkeeper then ?
crested ten green spot
on my grocery list. 🙂
EP, I think AW still clings to the hope Diaby will be the new Vieira in that position.
If Diaby becomes the new Vieira it will make us all happy but I just hope nobody else becomes the new Diaby.
46 – We have to get one. Honestly, don’t reckon we spend a penny on it though.
Just good enough to push Schez and not good enough to care that baring injury he will hardly play. Just the odd cup-tie (Martinez will get the kids cup probably to.)
48 – If he could stay fit he might be. Such a talent, such a shame. With Arteta and Flamini contracts up at the end of the season, might be a year to spend less on someone younger and bring them along slowly anyway. I’d love Martinez, but he’s about the only one worth serious money. It’s AW he’d go for attackers anyway, but especially after last seasons goal tallies imho.
And I would hate to see what happens to his teammates if they don’t find him with a pass when he’s in space (or even on earth!):
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27762722
Don’t want to make a never ending debate on this, Puno,
but who is going to be good enough to push Szczesny – who many feel is one of the best in the Premier League – and know he is hardly ever going to play.
And what if Szczesny suffers a long term injury – we will be reliant on a free transfer who has given up on any ambition.
Sounds great ? 😉
I do not want to stir the drinks so I’ll just shake em!
A quote has been released by Carlo Ancelotti, regarding Alvaro Morata, as follows:
“The player has decided to leave in search of more minutes and the club has agreed it,”
“It is difficult to improve what we have in attack.
“Suarez is a fantastic player but it would be a lack of respect to talk about signings at this stage.”
🙂
Yay.. we’re getting Morata ! 😀
Is Morata any good?
Good from what i’ve seen but then that’s probably not enough to make a sound judgement.
BTW- My ‘Yay’ was in response to Goonertown’s previous statement.
Hope we do get him though! Or even Mandzukic!
I thought Hill-Wood was working on producing a clone that combines the genes of Henry and Bergkamp back in the noughties? Is that ready yet?
Surely it must be ready by now 😀
BB
Yes, mandzukic has also announced that he is leaving this summer.
The plot thickens 🙂
You can’t be an acolyte if you’re unwashed.
That would be undignified 🙂
Trev – I’d love us to sign Begovic and let them have at it for the No1 spot. (Or someone else of proven quality.) I’m saying I really don’t see us spending much on it. Not really Arsene’s style.
Have we ever spent decent money on a keeper other than Richard Wright, who was supposed to take over from Seaman?
Be great of we did, but given our needs if we are “juggling” a budget I think it is the first place they will economise.
I don’t say this lightly, but I can see bit of Thierry in Balotelli. He lacks the pace of Henry in his pomp, but has the strength and arrogance and ridiculous goals.
I have never wanted us to sign a player as badly as I want Balotelli now. Please, please, please do it Arsene.
UTA
El Puno
Thierry and Mario are as alike as two peas in a pod save for the fact that one was incredibly talented and submerged his ego for the team scoring a record number of goals while the other is a card- carrying nutter who would destroy team spirit cause no end of problems on and off the field, would be wound up by the Arsenal- hating media and probably want to go back to Italy by Christmas. He got into enough trouble in Manchester so guess what he could do in a proper city.
There are much better options and I suspect Puma are the driving force behind this deal.
The way to split the goalkeeping duties might be the Real way. Say we sign Begovic he could okay in the CL and Cup matches and Ches in the League. It’s not ideal but it is a way to give real competition to the two keepers.
63 – I disagree and think you are putting too much emphasis on the armchair psychology and not enough on his football ability. He is a rare talent, both physically and technically. That’s what matters. (See Suarez, Louis-Louis, at LFC last year for reference.)
People grow up. He was 20 making a big money move to a new country at City. At 23 he has his prime years ahead of him, has played 5 years top-flight football, and will shortly have done 2 major tournaments with Italy. AW will manage him well and get him focussed on tapping his ridiculous talent.
Watch this video and tell me the flair, physical superiority and just crazy goals and tell me there isn’t a bit of Thierry here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVrr2-xbZWs
Hits the ball so sweetly.
UTA.
Cesc to Chelski gaining steam?! Any credence to that? Would be a travesty i tells ya!!!
Cheers H! Silly season? More like the fucking muppet movie.
Rather disingenuous of FIFA to play the race card when legitimate concerns about 2022 bids remain.
Also, based on the current rate approximately 4000 migrant laborers from Indian sub-continent (often working under slave like conditions requiring employer’s approval to be able to return back home) would die by the time all the constructions are finished before 2022.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27762435
They should scrap the WC in Qatar… and while at it also scrap FIFA!
BB, am with you on the whole scrapping of the WC in Qatar.Maybe the top European countries will come together and tell FIFA to change venue or their respective countries won’t be going. #BOYCOTT2022
If they play in the afternoon at those temperatures there, wouldn’t be surprised if we see our first fatality, especially if it involves extra time!
Scrap it! FIFA = Fullof Ignoramus Fat Arses!
Great News! Our boy is up and doing some light running!
http://www.espnfc.com/england/story/1870201/alex-oxlade-chamberlain-back-in-light-world-cup-training-for-england
BB. 116 degrees fahrenheit may sound hot but it’s not as hot as hell. 😉
Fine.. we’ll have it in Qatar..only if they have to play the Qualifiers! 😀
Imagine the furor and uproar in the international press if the word “protestors” in this headline were replaced by the word “tourists”:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-27761723
Brazilian police public relations ramping up now into high gear.
BB — the discomfort caused by the temperature really is the least of the issues. In any case they are planning to move it to Nov-Dec and the the impact analysis on European football calendar is already well under progress by UEFA etc. The grounds would be fully air conditioned and I am sure they will throw enough money at the problem to have full underground/air-conditioned communication tunnels from hotels from players as well as supporters etc.
The primary problem is the lack of transparency and the general sense of unethical behavior…and that there is no real organic football base there.
I think it’s a close call on which is more corrupt – FIFA or the US Congress.
I see the WC Final is on 13 July – unlucky for all except 1.
No signings before the following week anyhow.
I lost track of how many times LJW put his foot in his mouth during this interview but you can be sure that when somebody says “It’s good. It’s good.” in quick succession they really don’t think very highly of it.
Big fans in the dressing room? Are they speaking of well endowed young ladies? 😉
Whoops. Meant to give a link.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2014/world-cup-2014-england-using-3667255?
Can we sign Balotelli and get Jens in to coach the first team (not just the keepers)? They’d have to start training at 5am just to get the stare-downs done with in time for lunch.
Pre-match warm ups would be fantastic. Bouldy would be taking the squad on shuttle runs and Mario and Jens would be off in a corner trying to out-mental each other.
It would be like Roy Keane v Patrick Vieira in the tunnel before every game.
Make it happen!
Sad to hear my favourite ‘ Young One ‘ has left us suddenly.
I see that the Ox being ‘fit for the World Cup’ has now morphed into ‘hopes to be fit for the later stages’ according to the BBC. If there is a later stages for England…
Hodgson would clearly prefer to have a chance of Tne Ox being fit, than call up Cleverly or Carrick.
Who could blame him ?
Balotelli in Arsenal?
Well when the last time one of our players was involved in a minor driving fracas the media interest (“Arsenal player arrested!”) was overwhelming. Mario doesn’t do minor fracas.
Superbly talented player though. But this new look team is built on solidity and camaraderie and such an authentic rebel may find it a bit quotidian for his taste.
And I wonder what Arsene would feel about teaching another lost soul some life lessons in the twilight of his own career. Especially given that the last two street urchins, from Rotterdam and Marseille, he had converted into presentable youth had both kind of spat at his face at the end.
El Puno
Just to finish the Balotelli debate, my views are not based on amateur psychology they are based on my observations of one of the biggest idiots I have seen play the game. I’ve never seen anyone behave more stupidly on a football field than Balotelli at the Emirates in 2012. It’s also based on several friends of mine in Milan who all think he is a fruitcake.
Talent he undoubtedly has but over the years I have seen many potential stars fail to achieve their potential because of temperament issues. Can you imagine the freaks how that will ensue if/ when we buy him. The Daily Mail/ Sun/ Star/ Mirror will follow him 24/7 and with his temperament he will react at dome stage or crash his Ferrari or be involved in punch- ups etc. Have you thought of his effect on the dressing- room?
There are many better choices than this geezer to represent our club. I think there are playing comparisons with Henry are valid to a degree but that’s where it ends
Balotelli is another Anelka. He MAY mature, but I wouldn’t put money on it, and believe we can do better.
Morata could be anything. He’s been up against a staggering array of talent in the striker/goal-scorer departments at RM in recent times … Ronaldo, Bale, Di Maria, Benzema currently, and Higuain, Adebayor etc earlier. No surprise that he’s been unable to establish himself in that company. But still a question mark given most of his experience has been reserve grade.
Remy or Bony might do, at the right price – ie, well under $20m – providing we sign a marquee attacking winger or two who can score more often than our current squadees (Rambo excluded). Reus is the obvious one but Manure seem set on him and will outbid us for sure. Moura and/or Di Maria would be my next choices.
Plus we have to sign an RB, Jenks is not good enough, imo. Coleman would be wonderful but too expensive. Aurier more likely what we can afford.
Öskar
Trev@83: Fair point.
Balotelli over last 3 seasons going at about 3 games a yellow, only including starts not subs. (34 in 3 years, domestic and international.) It needs cleaning up, but, again, he’s still young. Even so, it’s not a million miles off this:
All-time Arsenal Premier League yellow cards
Player Yellows Games Games per yellow
Patrick Vieira 72 279 3.88
I think that 279 includes subs, so Balotelli about the same rate if so. I remember Paddy V slapping and kicking out for red cards. Got a record fine at the time and ban of 6 games for spitting. Couldn’t give a toss, send me him at 23 any day of the week. (Punch up on the bus with Ralph to. Sure there’s more.)
I’ve never felt more secure going into a big European game though than when he would lead us out of the tunnel. You just knew that whatever happened, we would give anyone a game with him in the side.
#FreeBalotelli
Sree gemes per yellow carte – pffftt! Zat ees not even trying ! 🙂
Ehhh, we’d luv to shee Balochelli at the Aaaarschnull !
Jusht shink how we could schlag off the Aaaarscgnull weecgh after weecgh after weecgh on Masch of de Deee !!! 🙂
Reus is a dream signing but not sure if Dortmund would let him go so easily. Morata is a solid finisher more in the mould of Morientes and the only worry is whether he can adapt to the league here. However I’d take Balotelli who’s ridiculously talented but a temperamental nutjob!if Wenger can harness it for the good of the team then great but this signing is a huge gamble which has a better chance of backfiring spectaculaly. Bony/Lukaku would represent a better signing in my opinion. Every time I see them play they keep oozing class and impress !
Agreed@91 but Chelsea are never ever going to sell Lukaku to us. Bony is more likely but I am far from convinced on him yet.
I just gave the media outlets a quick scan today and nothing new.
There has obviously been ‘deep discussions’ taking place and a couple of announcements re; Mandzukic and Morata.
There’s going to be some more late night footy to get our teeth into from Thursday and a lot of talk about who impressed and who didn’t to follow from there.
There’s a World Cup sweepstake at work to take care of in the next couple of days and I’ll hopefully get a strong team or two this time round. I am also not hanging around to wait until the room clears when the whistle blows for England’s first match. Nor will I be hanging around after the final whistle of our final game to listen to the ‘I told you so’s’. I’m cheering on the Ox and LJW and that’s it. I wish all of the other pretenders in the team well and I’m sure there will be moments between the begining and ending to savour. I am also looking forward to seeing our FA Cup boys and the like, do what they do best, but this time, with a well-deserved kick in their step.
All I can say for now is I hope Dick Law, IG and AW get it right this summer. I am sure they will.
🙂
Either my maths is way off or FFP is hitting. These normally reliable European papers are talking about 40k a week pre-tax for Kroos at Madrid and under 10k a week for Gomis at the barcodes:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2653790/Real-Madrid-offer-Toni-Kroos-4m-year-tax-leave-Bayern-Munich.html
Something strange in those numbers.
UTA
Ps: Apologies for linking to the Heil 🙁
Re: Balotelli – he’d be a great signing if the whole support were willing to forego actually winning things and just enjoy the circus. However, I don’t think that’s quite where we are.
He’s a huge talent, but also quite clearly a damaged individual.
He’s played for Mourinho, who for all his faults is a pretty good motivator, Mancini, who treated him like a son and tolerated his crap, and for his boyhood club. None of them have been able to get him going.
Across his career, he has 88 goals from 221 appearances, and 71 yellow cards. In the Champions League he has 7 goals from 29 appearances.
We can talk about his potential, but it’s a potential absolutely nobody has thus far been able to unlock. In terms of his actual performance, he lags behind Giroud and is barely on par with Loic Remy.
I love the idea of signing him, and think it would be great fun, but I suspect that it would only take a few months for the support to turn on him and that there would quickly be a lot of people asking what Wenger thought he was doing blowing £20m on a known head case.
I’m all for the idea of signing Remy and a top quality left winger if we can find one: Di Maria would be a dream, but are Madrid daft enough to sell him?
EP: €5 million a year is £77,600 a week.
I agree on the Gonalons part, i think he just might be the ones coming than a lot of other names touted. I dont mind that one bit and also the fact is Wenger looks at Arteta in his scheme of things still.
Striker, simple answer- Remy, I like Balotelli, he is terrific and a talent. yet the one thing we pride upon ourselves is the fact that our players are never in the back pages or the front pages of the media apart from footballing reasons. The dressing room is a sea of calm and we dont want him to ripple it up. For the sake of the overall team environment cultin the team, we dont want him.
We dont want fireworks from super mario but yes he is that one big games player who we desperately need to change a game when nothing is going right. Its a difficult choice to say no to him but then Remy is safer and good enough. No mandzukic please.
CB- if TV5 leaves then Caulker Hangelaand are good options to.
lastly GK- Steklenburg, he is good, proven and his team was relegated.
EP: The Mail mistranslated Gomis’s salary offer. The L’Equipe story says it is for €370 000 a month, not a year as the Mail says. That would work out at about £85,000 a week. The French paper also says he would get a £2 million signing on fee. He is currently on £67,000 a week.
EP: Bild also says Kroos is out of contract with Bayern at the end of next season and has turned down a contract extension worth €4 million-6 million a year. That would seem to make Madrid’s salary offer in the ballpark, assuming Kroos would get a hefty signing on fee. Bayern would presumably prefer to get something (£25 million-30 million) for him this year rather than nothing next. So shouldn’t we be in for him at those prices?
Flamini forty yard slam top corner
Thank you very much
Zank you very much?
Spank your furry crutch
Ned – good shit. A month certainly makes more sense than a year 🙂
We should go in for Kroos, can’t have too much ‘super quality.’ Play him next to Cesc 😉
Ooh-la-la. Finally some decent transfer tattle to get stuck in to. So, newsnow this evening has it this way:
Cazorla and £10mil out and Cesc in. (Cazorla is 30 months older than Cesc. he turns 30 in December, Cesc in May 2017.)
Poldi and £30mil out and Reus in. (Reus is 25, Poldi 29)
Balotelli (23) in for £20 mil.
Would folks go for Cazorla, Poldi, and £60 mil for Cesc, Reus, and Balotelli???
We would get younger and more athletic. Leaves us 40mil to shore up the defence and base of midfield…
(On Balotelli, maybe having to actually compete for a spot would help him? He dicks about we just play Giroud, who won’t be displaced easily anyway… This was pretty damning via faint praise, I must admit:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2086955-arrigo-sacchi-talks-balotelli-rossi-italys-2014-world-cup-chances-and-more )
El Puno,
I wouldn’t swap Cazorla for Messi himself.
Balotelli – great player. A huge gamble as well.
Memories of Bendtner still fresh.
Reus? I’ll have some of that; but, once again, not at the expense of Poldi.
“Arsenal are set to make a 22 million pounds bid for, overweight and injury prone, Serbian centre-back Silly Second Yella.
The 48 years old fat fuck will have tough fight to get into the Arsenal XI but we’ve seen stranger things happen.”
Ooh, throw in Valdes on a free now as well. Could be a cracker that, let him get fit and fight for the shirt. Flog him for mucho deniro gringo wen the young sausage roll wins the spot 🙂
Micah Richards on the cheap as well. I could go for a bit of that to. 4th choice CB taken care of along with RB all in one go. Shrood move Arsene 😉
106 – Hat eto see either leave, but if the boss did it I could probably learn to cope after a while with desc and Reus to kiss it better. Does leave us just as thin in the squad though. AOC and Gnarby to fill in?
Has anyone seen this yet?!, It’s good!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlJEt2KU33I
F FIFA! ‘Nuff Said.
El Puno: What ever it is you’re on, I think you should reduce the dosage.
Head of Danish FA has stated in an interview today that he thinks that there is a need for a big shake-up in FIFA and that Blatter must be replaced. Stand by for Blatter fuming about Danish racists.
Read today that someone in Surrey (we all know who they support) has bet 400,000 quid on the Scots voting No in the referendum. If I was Scottish, that news would get me to vote Yes.
John Oliver lets FIFA off far too lightly, BB.
EP, you’d think that if the Mail is going to do cut’n’paste journalism they would at least bother to read what they are cutting and pasting, and give it at least a cursory reality check. Then again, perhaps not.
That set of moves you outline seems to have far to many moving parts to come off. Also the gap between Santi and Cesc’s market value is more like £4 million than £10 million; and that between Poldi and Reus something like £15 million so those top-up payments you mention seem rich. Cesc and Reus as a straight swap for Santi and Poldi, or even with a modest top-up fee (say less than £10 million) would be good business. Cesc and Reus for Santi, Poldi and £40 million seems a ridiculously expensive deal. We could buy Reus for that £40 million (and still have change for Aurier). I for one would argue we’d be a stronger squad with Santi, Poldi and Reus, than we would be with Reus and Cesc.
DKG. To play the cynic I would have to say it’s a ploy by the Danish FA for their share of the cash.
SSY a Serbian? Who knew?
111 – I don’t really see us letting anyone leave. 1 player tops. We are looking to build on what we have and need more depth. Newsnow disagrees though…
Mail screed about fallibility of google-translate incoming, check tomorrows papers 😉
#FreeBalotelli
It looks like Manchester United’s shirt sponsors next season will be none other than the United States Government sponsored Chevrolet, which would have gone out of business due to incompetence if not for the Government bailout a few short years ago. What a way to further cheapen an already cheap outfit. Maybe this is the way in for RVP to get a job selling used cars after he is done playing football?
Howdy all.
Cheers for the piece ‘holic. Have indeed spent a lot of time in the (beer) garden, mostly work related, over the last few days. Not much of a gardener myself, but did have a fistful of weed over the weekend, does that count?
As for transfer speculation and all the hysteria that goes with it, not really my cup of tea, which I always thought was a bit of a wierd saying because I don’t particularly drink or even like tea nor drink from cups, so let’s say it’s not my glass of beer……….
Speaking of which, I can see one on the bar that is mine.
Cheers.
Silly SY – 🙂
Nah. The AIG manIOU sponsorship was much more nauseating than Chevy. AIG was one of the worst offenders of the great recession and that sponsorship took place at the time that Uncle Sam actually had AIG on life support. So, in effect, the U.S. gov’t sponsored manIOU, and based on me being a law abiding citizen (usually) and paying my taxes at that time … I sponsored them. Still pisses me off.
Chevy is part of GM paid the Federales back all the equity stake. Even though the Feds ended up losing some money on the arrangement.
The real problem with GM is not that; its the fact that its shitty cars have been primarily involved in about 15 deaths recently. Pretty unfortunate, but I reckon manIOU will take whatever they can get these days.
Homer you make a good point. AIG or Chevy Manu are up to their necks in dirty doodoo.
Cazorla and £10mil out and Cesc in. Poldi and £30mil out and Reus in.
El Puno (#105)
………………………………………………………………………………………
The former makes f all differences to what we have, imo.
The latter at least suggests Dortmund would be open to a deal, in which case I would prefer (as previously stated many times) to offer them a deal involving Özil and Vermaelen for Reus and Hummels, with a cash adjustment.
Only if the latter happens would I want Cesc (as Özil’s replacement – more goals, better attitude), while keeping Santi.
Öskar
Carlos Vela is apparently on his way back to Arsenal according to the President of Real Sociedad where Vela scored almost 50 goals over the last 3 La Liga seasons. I hope he has grown as a player and that he is more capable physically of withstanding the tough challenges he will see in the Premier League.
As for Kroos, he scored a great goal against us, but he’s done little else in other games I’ve watched him in. Very over-rated, imo, and I hope he signs for Manure, removing an obstacle to us securing the infinitely better Reus.
Öskar
Vela would need to channel Pele or Maradona to improve from what he was when last with us. I can’t see it somehow.
Öskar
H2H, let me add one to the one you have on the bar. Beer garden is the best sort of garden. Capability Brown Ale.
And before punmeister Trev blows us all out of the water, let me toss a pale purple cornflower into the mix.
Carlos Vela will return to Arsenal next season, the president of the forward’s current club, Real Sociedad, said on Tuesday.
Wow… ok.
If Vela was there for £3.5mil as the papers say it’s too good to refuse.
Can play either wing and up-front, which is great in a squad player. Worst case scenario he plays the cups, scores a few chips, eats too many chips, and we flog him for three times that next summer.
Add in Joel Campbell and the desperation of our great search to replace Bad Boy Nicky B is dulled a little. Adding 2 strikers who can play wide in our 4-3-3 also means Theo isn’t the only one who can do that in the squad.
All looks very Arsene and delightfully shrood. These are the sorts of deals we should have done last summer, pa out the squad with young quality in early to mid-20’s. If we get 2 serious money moves we are doing well. Any two from a holding player/striker/winger would be ace. (I still reckon he buys Cesc and shoves Gnarby/AOC wide for a year. Gets another striker for paper money and project for the holding role. Entirely my hunch though.)
UTA Big Ivan, UTA.
My mother reads this blog, but never comments. Emailed me yesterday correcting my use of to an too. So, for the record, hi mum and I know it’s shrewd. Shirley you knew that though.
UTA
#FreeBalotelli
Heh and I see that our very own TR7 married his girlfriend after 11 years of being together. Good stuff
El @126
It’s a no brainer really.
It just makes you wonder where the club intend to spend the bulk of the money!
#FreeFabregas 🙂
119 – Wanting Ozil out one of the oddest things I’ve seen all transfer window… And I quite like the kinky tattle. World class. 25. Will only get better. Just don’t see that mate.
129 – Yep. Basically a 1 year deal innit. If he’s great we keep him, if not we can sell him on next summer, for at least what we got, possibly a lot more. We need goals and he can score them. If we get 25 quality starts out of Carlitos across the cups and some big boy games we will have done well imo.
@ 130
The more goals the better really. I’m sure there will be more twists and turns to come. I like Campbell too. He seems as though he’s always looking for the back of the net. Very attack minded. I also believe Sanogo could do with a loan out somewhere. Possibly to Palace or one of those places.
Talk linking us to Jackson Martinez excites me, but that’s where it ends. He apparently has a host of top club chasing his signature, where wages could be a big deal. However, as far as marquee strikers go, you can’t get any better than Jackson. Salute!
132 – Balotelli > Jackson.
#FreeBalotelli
The full statement from the Real Sociadad president went a little something like this:
“Arsenal have told us they are interested in the player and we have to think on that.
“The player wants to continue here, in San Sebastian, and this is an important point for us.”
#FreeFabregas 😆
Morning campers! Listen to this.
I have it on good authority that Arsenal are looking for just 2 new players. Not exactly ground-breaking as transfer tittle tattle but a member of my family has regular contact with one of Wenger’s scouts.
….or maybe that particular scout is only looking for 2? Anyway, there it is.
You’re welcome.
😀
oh Porco you tease! 😀
Porco – “Looking for”? You mean they haven’t found any yet?
Mind-boggling.
As for young Joel Campbell, that will be the most interesting aspect of the WC for me – to see how he shapes up at the highest level. If he can perform against Italy, Uruguay and England, then maybe one of our problems is solved.
I’ll be looking at pace, strength, decision making and teamwork.
Good analysis of Carlos Vela over on Arseblog today, if you haven’t seen it.
Makes you think he would be an ideal replacement for Park ….. Don’t we ? Oh … 🙁
And as for that Sociedad presidnet’s name …..
sounds like a website selling second hand pre-dinner drinks:
“Apperibay”, really ?
Oh no, I see he’s only Jokin. 😉
Ned @124 – did you mean a pale purple coneflower ?
And tell me, where the ‘eck in Asia would you find one of those ? 😉
139 – Thought it was bit shallow myself. If Vela is our only attacking signing then it’s a disaster, but at £3.5mil for a squad player who is guaranteed to have a resale value back to Spain next year it looks a no-brainer.
We need more depth and goals and Vela can bring both at 3 positions. He isn’t going to be a regular starter, but he’s a better option than Miyachi or Akpom at this stage. He’s also got a full preseason coming up with no world cup, which could be very handy.
It’s a no risk bet at a position we need to add both top, top quality and depth to the squad. He is the latter.
(All that said, this is starting to sound like a “buy him outright or we’ll just take him back” bargaining ploy by Big Ivan.)
UTA Big Ivan, UTA.
Puno – “no risk option” to do what exactly ?
He didn’t exactly rattle hatfuls in last time he was here. Just the odd sublime chip against poorer opposition.
Better than Myaichi, I’ll give you, but we still have to pay a year’s salary in order to make this presumed profit next year. If we are indeed selling next year, that will imply another year of relative failure, so what do you expect the asking price to be ?
Hahahaha this is golden, what is going to happen if England actually wins the World Cup 😀 http://d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net/photo/aPvqOBR_700b.jpg
@ 139 – In an effort to find that post on vela, I came across a statement, which I have seen elsewhere, from Giroud, saying:
“I can tell you Arsenal will add a striker to the team. We need another striker. Great clubs have several good strikers, who compete with each other.”
However, when you consider that we wanted to keep Van Man, bidded for both Higuain and Suarez, there’s an indicator in there somewhere for me, that the main striker which the club are trying to purchase, is somebody of a high calibre!
142 – worst case scenario he struggles again. Entirely possible that at 25 he’s more focused on his footy and works hard to impress, which he has the talent to do as a very useful squad player.
If you refuse to accept he can develop as a professional as he gets older then sure, it may be a mistake. I reckon the club probably checked out his bar tab at some point. He’s doing well though an could be a good player or a saleable asset at worst – I really can see the problem. Not many in demand 25 year old versatile attackers about for a third of their market value usually.
The idea he just can’t handle the rain or whatever on London seems a bit far fetched. The fact he scored less when sociedad played better team is hardly a shock, usually happens to sides playing club who are just better than them.
I think the so called Vela interest is just us posturing to get the best possible deal, maybe a different player I return for us dropping the clause. (all speculation ).
I can however see no value for either player nor club in bringing Vela back.
For those who don’t read Spanish, this interview with the Real Sociedad president in Marca says there are open negotiations between the clubs regarding a transfer of Vela but the two clubs positions are not close, and Vela wants to stay in San Sebastian. H2H if you are right and the real issue is the transfer of Griezmann, so much the better. 🙂
Link to that interview: http://www.marca.com/2014/06/10/futbol/equipos/real_sociedad/1402423526.html
Not a huge fan of Squawka stats, but Vela is 7th rated player in La Liga form last year. 4th best attacking scores:
http://www.squawka.com/football-player-rankings#performance-score#player-stats#spanish-la-liga|season-2013/2014#all-teams#all-player-positions#16#39#0#0#90#17/08/2013#18/05/2014#season#1#all-matches#attack#desc#total
Interesting that Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas all make the top 10. Shouting heads all seem fixed on the idea that the Barca boys have gone off the boil and Spain will suffer as a result in the WC?
Massive heh @143
Actually, the “negotiations” between Real Sociedad and Arsenal are referred to in the article as negotiations to retain Vela on the part of Real Sociedad, so that’s at least the angle the reporter is looking at the interview from …
El Puno
Given that we have lost Fabuanski and Sagna and signed Vela are you telling me we are looking for one player? Even Wenger is more adventurous than that.
152 – I reckon we will only spend paper money on 2 players. Change from the back of the sofa for 3/4 more, including a keeper and right-back. That’s what I’d hope for at a minimum and think is realistic.
1/9 odds that we are really after Greaseman and he plays a blinder at the world cup and is playing for Chavski/Madrid/PSG within 3 days of France getting knocked out.
UTA Big Ivan, UTA.
From Mark Lawrenson’s BBC comments predicting a 1-1 score between Spain and the Netherlands this week:
“Spain lack an outstanding striker.”
A not so subtle dig at Chelsea’s signing of Costa?
155 – lump on a hat trick for whoever starts up front for Spain now NAP. Lawrenson a spectacular McMugget.
Ahhhh silly season how I hate you.
As others have said the Vela return seems far from certain at this point. But for a team that badly needs depth up front I struggle to see the downside of adding a versatile squad player for such a pittance.
Of course, I’d rather have Griezemann, or Reus, or Di Maria, whatever, and it’s hard to see how adding Vela wouldn’t preclude an addition like that. Hard to imagine the boss adding all three of Vela, Griezemann and a “top striker”.
In the end I suppose have to trust the boss to make the right decision re: what Vela would bring to the club. It would be underwhelming, but not without its silver lining. The real game-changer will be that striker that we’re supposedly after.
It’s time for the World Cup methadone, fellas. I’ve done a fair job of tuning out the transfer drivel so far, and it seems I haven’t missed much.
Almost hit the target. Good try. Maybe next time.
http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/10/sicknote-robin-van-persie-struck-by-kitesurfer-on-brazil-beach-4756640/
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