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New Deals Shock For Long-Suffering Gooners

Oct 11th, 2017 by 'holic

Today Arsenal were involved in a remarkable U-turn from recent policy and have been reported to have been negotiating new deals with the players who are just about still at the club. Dick Law has been reportedly whizzing round Shenley like Lovejoy at a jumble sale looking to secure the bargains of the week.

First came the news that Calum Chambers had put pen to paper on a deal that ties him to the club until 2021. With the club fast running out of fit central defenders this could be the start of a new lease of life at the Gunners for the 22 year old.

As Gareth Southgate pointed out in the week he hasn’t got to many homegrown players to pick from in the Premier League. If Calum gets a chance and grabs it with both, er feet, he could yet make the plane for England’s triumphal flight to World Cup glory.

If the old ticker hadn’t been jolted enough for one day Mesut Ozil’s agent, Dr. Erkut Sogut, allegedly revealed to Turkish media sources …

“Ozil wants to play another 2-3 years in the Premier League. Talks with Arsenal are ongoing regarding a new deal. What I can say right now is that negotiations are going well.”

On the face of it good news, but lest we forget Mesut has also been linked with his former employer, Jose Mourinho, at Old Trafford. It’s not looking likely at this stage that United will be relegated this season so that will remain a concern, probably until January.

Stand by for further shocks in the coming days and weeks? A new deal and comeback for Matthieu Debuchy perchance? Then the burning question of them all. Could Alexis be persuaded to go to Paris in exchange for Julian Draxler in the January window? Why wouldn’t he opt for that when next summer he could trouser his transfer fee to join his old boss, also in Manchester.

Talking of Alexis I see he will be fresh at the start of next season for whoever fills his wallet in a summer where he will be free to talk to potential new employers after Chile’s failure to qualify for the World Cup.

My one serious point of this evening concerns those who have questioned his motivation for the rest of the season. He may or may not be a disruptive force in the dressing room but one thing he has always done, wherever he has played, is to give a hundred percent every time he crossed the line. He loves playing football. That isn’t likely to change.

Also having a quiet summer will be Aaron Ramsey after Wales last gasp failure to make the play-offs. He does appear to be one who will need an arm around his shoulder and lifting. This will be a test for the manager and his staff in the coming days. Hopefully Rambo will want to take his disappointment out on our future opponents, starting at Watford on Saturday.

Come back on Friday evening for reports of further contract signings, a new director of  football, and a preview of the Watford match.

Posted in tongue in cheek | 56 Drinks

56 Responses to “New Deals Shock For Long-Suffering Gooners”

  1. on 11 Oct 2017 at 8:01 pm1North Bank Ned

    As if there wasn’t enough international football getting in the way, UEFA’s new Nations League starts next year. http://www.uefa.com/uefanationsleague/news/newsid=2507364.html#/

  2. on 11 Oct 2017 at 8:07 pm2North Bank Ned

    Harking back to what you said in the previous post and about Ramsey above, I have to say that that Welsh team really does play for national pride. The unaccompanied rendition of the Welsh national anthem before the Wales-Ireland game showed the fans at one with them in that.

  3. on 11 Oct 2017 at 8:12 pm3TTG

    The big signing mystery intriguing me is the Overmars story. If this is true ( and it doesn’t come from a likely source) it presages a big change and maybe the return to THOF of the great Dennis Bergkamp ( sorry got carried away there!) .
    Whatever if it is true it’s very significant news because it either means Wenger is finally accepting help or we are preparing tpfor his departure.

  4. on 11 Oct 2017 at 8:15 pm4WestStandTone

    Arse. Well, you gotta do it somewhere.

  5. on 11 Oct 2017 at 8:21 pm5Goonerholic

    Haha, arse indeed Tone. 🙂

  6. on 11 Oct 2017 at 9:29 pm6Steve T

    Chambers signs a contract extension? The Holloway Road will be awash with bunting and battenberg in joyous celebration this evening.

    I’m somewhat confused with the rumours linking Marc Overmars with a return? Is he to fill a director of football role or is he coming back with a view to playing?

    Nice stuff H.

    Beers on the bar for everyone. That even includes the learned rev the mad cow loving one from across the pond.

  7. on 11 Oct 2017 at 9:30 pm7Steve T

    No sweaties though. They can buy their own.

  8. on 11 Oct 2017 at 9:34 pm8New Day Rising

    Not sure what to get for Xmas ?

    You do now

    https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2017/oct/11/89-trailer-documentary-recounts-arsenal-dramatic-title-win-at-anfield-video

  9. on 11 Oct 2017 at 9:48 pm9NigerianGooner

    From previous post

    Thank you Solid Gooner

    North Bank Red, lets hope Rambo really steps up and stays loyal

  10. on 11 Oct 2017 at 9:52 pm10NigerianGooner

    Regarding Chambers, it’s a make or break season for him IMHO

  11. on 11 Oct 2017 at 10:56 pm11Goonerholic

    Being serious for one post, Chambers signing means we can now loan him out, hopefully to better than Boro, to prepare him for taking over from Kos when the time comes.

  12. on 11 Oct 2017 at 11:47 pm12Cynic

    It’s the Daily Mail but this is good. Bob Wilson interview

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4971260/Bob-Wilson-agony-daughter-s-death-raising-millions.html

  13. on 11 Oct 2017 at 11:59 pm13Chris

    Nor do I doubt Alexis’s love of the game and willingness to give one hundred per cent. But his efforts are not always towards working with his team-mates, and I worry that he’ll be more than ever trying to do it all himself as his Arsenal tenure runs down.

  14. on 12 Oct 2017 at 12:14 am14Chris

    It’s a bit early to be saying it’s make or break for Calum this season, NG. CBs aren’t sprinters and rarely mature fully until their late 20s, with many still playing well up to their mid 30s.

    I agree his recent form isn’t as promising as his early games when I went on record in this forum as suggesting he had the makings of a club captain in the TA6 mould. But he still has plenty of time to learn, imo.

  15. on 12 Oct 2017 at 1:40 am15OsakaMatt

    Thanks GH.

    Very topical, I wonder if AW read
    the bar discussion on Calum and
    decided to get him signed.

    We spent 30 odd million on Mustafi
    and that was at the old rate for
    Centre Backs! We need to replace
    Per at the end of the season, we
    have to say weekly prayers to
    the Tendon God for Kos’s achilles
    and Nacho is not getting younger.
    To me, we have to be hoping like
    hell one of Rob or Calum come
    through and Mus steps up fully
    over the season.

  16. on 12 Oct 2017 at 1:52 am16TTG

    Cynic
    Thanks for featuring that. I’ve arranged a Christmas lunch at the Reform Club for Willow. It’s a fine charity. Bob Wilson is a wonderful and courageous man. Wasn’t a bad keeper either

  17. on 12 Oct 2017 at 2:15 am17Chris

    Lovely stuff Cynic and TTG, a charity well worth supporting.

    Gotta love that photo of Bob Wilson between the sticks in a snowstorm in Cynic’s link. Priceless.

  18. on 12 Oct 2017 at 2:31 am18OsakaMatt

    NBN@1
    I saw a different report on that and
    my first thought was is it an
    April Fools thing.
    Another pointless competition 🙁
    for our players to get injured in.

  19. on 12 Oct 2017 at 5:33 am19Esso

    Cheers H! And good work fella to TTG!

  20. on 12 Oct 2017 at 7:04 am20North Bank Ned

    OM@18: UEFA may be a joke, but not of the April Fool’s variety unfortunately.

  21. on 12 Oct 2017 at 7:05 am21Steve T

    Calum Chambers is 23 in January. For me he is yet another NBT panic buy. He hasn’t developed to anywhere near the level required. I accept that centre backs can mature later in life but you would have hoped to have seen a lot more from him by now? Constant loan periods would not be taking place if he was really that good.

    I would love to see him make it but I really don’t see it. This is his 4th season with us and he’s played 30 odd games? If we are saying he’s to take over from Kos in 3 years time then in my opinion he should be good enough to get a starting place by now.

  22. on 12 Oct 2017 at 8:10 am22OsakaMatt

    True enough Ned.
    They certainly don’t limit themselves
    to April 🙂

  23. on 12 Oct 2017 at 9:40 am23Cynic

    Top work TTG, both of his autobiographies are fascinating reads for different reasons. Seems like such a nice guy and so totally Arsenal that if you cut him, he would bleed red.

    What? Oh.

  24. on 12 Oct 2017 at 12:09 pm24OsakaMatt

    Looks like 4-6 weeks for Mus
    according to AW in the team news.
    Decisions tomorrow on Kos, Kola
    and Sanchez.
    Good news is that Danny & Ozil
    are available.

    Be great if Kos makes it, Kola too.
    Defensively the Kos, Nacho, Kola
    triangle is pretty sound for us on
    the left.

    Oh and the Overmars story was
    denied outright.

  25. on 12 Oct 2017 at 12:10 pm25bt8

    Steve T. Afraid you have made an intelligent decision about Chambers @21. Now that we have signed him once and then signed him twice I can only hope you turn out to be wrong but must say there have not been enough signs of him making the expected progress to this point. But the biggest question in my mind is why we signed him in the first place. Now the phrase “throwing good money after bad” comes to mind.

  26. on 12 Oct 2017 at 12:15 pm26bt8

    Today’s bundle of glowingly positive Arsenal news.

    http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/41592531

    *wonders if “glowingly” was the absolutely appropriate word usage*

  27. on 12 Oct 2017 at 12:16 pm27bt8

    Mustafi 4-6 weeks. Can’t figure out if the glowingly positive part is the 4 weeks or the 6 weeks.

  28. on 12 Oct 2017 at 2:46 pm28BB

    Ohh..Can you believe it?… :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZSvfGfgSKw

    Blast from the past!

    😀 😀 😀

  29. on 12 Oct 2017 at 2:46 pm29Bayonne Jean

    “89” available on Nov. 20? Can’t wait! (Chris, Nov. 29 down under)

  30. on 12 Oct 2017 at 7:21 pm30Vinay

    89 relived, wow all i remember is Thomasssssss ringing in my ears every single time. Fever pitch the book and the movie passes by the eyes and makes you so wish that you were there that day and time.

    Back to reality and reality is Alexis and Ozil set to leave. Good or bad? of course bad for we do not have a like for like replacement who would come over at the drop of a hat in Jan or the summer. Alexis for all his sulking is still our best player and Mesut for all critics is still the best no 10 around. We really should not have got it this late but then when have we done anything straight forward.

    Chambers signing a contract extension could mean 2 things. He and Holding are being considered as our present/future for Per is done, Kos has Achilles and Mustafi, well never mind. Does not give me too much confidence with this for we have been crying out for a solid proven CB from a long time which still remains unaddressed.

    On to Watford and it looks like stoke game all over again unless we take our chances and score first. Else, lot of possession no clear cut chance and one chance taken by deeney and co. Hoping thats not the case for we have the premier league live event here in Bangalore with more than 30000 expected to be there. Wouldnt want to see bunch of moronic united/pool fans mock us. Come on Arsenal, Bobby is home this weekend and he would want fond memories of Bangalore and the game.

  31. on 12 Oct 2017 at 7:47 pm31ksn

    A super computer predicts that Arsenal will lose to Watford 1-0.
    http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/865721/Premier-League-predictions-gameweek-8-super-computer-sportgalleries

  32. on 12 Oct 2017 at 8:04 pm32can't be arsed

    hello

  33. on 12 Oct 2017 at 8:48 pm33North Bank Ned

    SteveT, bt8b and others: Chambers kept Holding out of the England U-21 team in the U-21s Euros this year so somebody must see something in him.

    He seems like a player who has yet to find his true position.

    At the Academy, Bielik and Pleguezuelo are well regarded centre halves with either as potential long-term replacements for Kos, but both seem to be being brought along in a very low key way.

    BB@28: excellent link. Football on a proper pitch, too — muddy and sodden.

    ksn@31: This supercomputer has Arsenal more likely to win than Watford. So what do supercomputers know?

    http://www.dratings.com/predictor/european-football/english-premier-league-computer-predictions/

    And hello to his cba-ness.

  34. on 12 Oct 2017 at 8:55 pm34North Bank Ned

    What odds on the ‘Holic pound going on a 3-2 away win available at 20s?

  35. on 12 Oct 2017 at 9:05 pm35can't be arsed

    https://archive.org/details/TheThirdPolicemanByFlannOBrien

  36. on 12 Oct 2017 at 9:26 pm36can't be arsed

    the fact that i am no more irish
    than most of you
    who cares
    .
    .
    was funny
    .
    moooooooooooooooooooooo
    ?

  37. on 12 Oct 2017 at 9:30 pm37can't be arsed

    is it about a bicycle ?

  38. on 12 Oct 2017 at 9:37 pm38bt8

    can’t be what?

  39. on 12 Oct 2017 at 10:34 pm39Steve T

    Ned@33. That doesn’t bode well for Holding then does it?

    I will be amazed if Bielik ever makes it at Arsenal. I’ve never heard of the other fella?????

    Is Wellington still on the books? Can Joel Campbell play at centre half?

  40. on 12 Oct 2017 at 10:55 pm40Cynic

    Is Wellington still on the books?

    No, we gave him the boot.

  41. on 13 Oct 2017 at 12:38 am41Chris

    Apropos 26 May 1989, BJ, I’ve seen the match, read the book and watched the movie, all I really need now is a time machine.

  42. on 13 Oct 2017 at 12:49 am42TTG

    Pleguezuelo was another recruit from Barca but has been on loan to Spain until this season. He is apparently highly thought of but has had injury problems (!) and his development has been so low key he has yet to make an appearance in a first team squad as far as I know. Bielik has been converted into a centre back but has been seriously injured this season (!!) . So we’ve got those two Chambers, Kos and Mustafi injured. Made a lot of sense to sell Gabriel for £10 million to Valencia.
    I’ve moved a lot on Wenger in the last year and I’m finding his planning ( because he decides everything) increasingly chaotic. It’s not clear to me that he has career plans for the likes of Chambers, Wilshere and Iwobi that hold water and that is without the likes of Debuchy who is causing us to haemorrhage Money because he is unsellable and unloanable . Also not sure who are our reserve wing backs. I’m not accepting Nelson is a wing back.
    Tough game on Saturday. Before I went away I sat next to a Watford supporting friend who raved about Citeh but felt they had a real chance against us. I think he is right although we have a very good record there.

  43. on 13 Oct 2017 at 12:53 am43TTG

    Steve T
    Wellington occupied a week of Dick Law’s time at the height of the window . We tried to exercise an option to take him from Fluminense to Bordeaux making £1 million in the process( whooppee) but he failed the medical at Bordeaux and we had to sell him back to Fluminense. A strange sense of priorities methinks

  44. on 13 Oct 2017 at 2:20 am44bt8

    I have been reading the name Pleguezuelo hoping he makes it at Arsenal if for no other reason than to plague the match announcers who would no doubt butcher his name for years. Bellerin has been the regular right back for over 100 games and the match announcers have nearly 100 different variations of how they pronounce his name. In this day and age you would think there might be a way for them to learn …

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ6yHmR80B0

  45. on 13 Oct 2017 at 2:31 am45ksn

    TTG at 42, selling Gabriel for just £10 m was one of the dumbest decisions this season. It is coming back to bite us. Gabriel would have been an asset against a team like Watford. It is amazing that we also wanted to sell Mustafi.

    We must play Per more often as he is excellent at organizing the defence though the flip side is we would not have any pace at the back if we have Holding, Per and Monreal playing.

  46. on 13 Oct 2017 at 7:07 am46Steve T

    TTG. It would’ve made a lot more sense not to have bought him in the first place? Another total waste of money.

    I have no idea why we continue to try and poach next best things from all over the globe. I dread to think how much time, money and effort have gone in for virtually no reward. I will be amazed if the likes of Chambers, Bielik and even Holding have that much of a future here. Holding I would suggest is the most likely of the three.

    No doubt we will continue to look for scraps thrown from the Barca academy. No doubt we will end up with more that spend countless seasons on loan before we spend weeks trying to eventually give them away.

    If only we had spent a similar amount of time working out trying resolve the contract issues for Alexis, Ozil and LJW? Wow. Now that really would have been ground breaking progress

  47. on 13 Oct 2017 at 7:10 am47Steve T

    Ksn. Selling Gabriel was far from dumb. What was dumb was not investing that and other money in a top quality centre half. Something we should have done years ago.

  48. on 13 Oct 2017 at 9:02 am48OsakaMatt

    Is it National Grumpitty Grump
    Grump Grumpitty Day?

  49. on 13 Oct 2017 at 10:12 am49Cynic

    I have no idea why we continue to try and poach next best things from all over the globe.

    I don’t think we have been. Our transfer policy needs looking into IMO because something is not right when you buy someone, knowing he has no chance at all of playing first team football for your club, then loan him out for six years, sell him to the club you got him from, buy him back to sell him but can’t so sell him back to the original club again.

    Wellington is not alone in being bought when there’s absolutely no prospect of being a first teamer. Ever. Something stinks.

  50. on 13 Oct 2017 at 11:14 am50OsakaMatt

    It is !

    And raises bat as a complete
    coincidence.

  51. on 13 Oct 2017 at 8:36 pm51Ochi

    Calum should best stop with sagging his shorts every stoppage (is this Puma fitting our players too tight?!?), and realize the open chance he has to become a #d pick. Btn size and ball-play, him and Holding could be the start of an English evolution from long-ball tactics. More games should breed better execution, if they’re taught right.

    Sorry, Gooners! But i’m all for a Jan Alexis for Lemar or Draxler; followed by Ozil or Theo for Amadou Diawara.

    Ops aside, 3pts tomorrow pls! UP..ka-boom!

  52. on 13 Oct 2017 at 8:55 pm52can't be arsed

    i refer the honourable ‘holic
    to comments he made
    last paragraph above

    .
    .

    *taps watch*

    .
    .
    thankfully only connect is here
    to call me a dope

    right to my face

    .
    DON’T PAY YER TV LICENCE

    …. fight the power

  53. on 13 Oct 2017 at 8:59 pm53can't be arsed

    or

    …. fght h pw r

  54. on 13 Oct 2017 at 8:59 pm54Goonerholic

    Finally, here ya go ya big bollix! 🙂

  55. on 13 Oct 2017 at 8:59 pm55Goonerholic

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

  56. on 13 Oct 2017 at 9:00 pm56can't be arsed

    “more tea vicar?”

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