Jul 18
The ATVO online interview with Toure is a beautiful thing, highly recommended if you’re a member and have access. I love his quiet confidence in Arsenal. When asked about the departure of Henry, he pauses for a second, remembers his friend Titi, but then speaks about his joy in the kind of football the team plays, that transcends who’s on the field. Even during the cup loss to Chelsea in February, when so many regulars were out, he saw the strength in the team due to the system, the flowing football at the heart of Wenger’s Arsenal. Remarkably mature at 26, he’s a great man, leader of the defense, and heart of the team.
108 Responses to “Kolo Toure”
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July 18th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
He would be the perfect center half for Arsenal if he is more dominant in the air.
July 18th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
Kolo had a humble beginning at Arsenal. I think when AW first signed him, he probably planned to use him as a utility man, filling in where it’s needed because of his verstaility. I don’t think AW signed him with a vision that he would be one of the KEY players of our squad. Kolo surprised everyone else.
Still remember when I first saw him, even being given only 10-15 minutes’ playing time, and when ususally we were already a few goals up, Kolo stepped into the pitch played like he’s going to make a difference in a tight score cup final - by giving his ALL. Running all over the pitch, and flying in with tackles, I bet the opponents must be thinking “Geez, u guys already 3-0 up, take it easy would ya?”
But not Toure, he’s Mr. 100%. Period.
July 18th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Kolo is the manager’s ultimate dream player. Every time he steps on to the pitch, you can see that he is grateful to be just playing. No doubt it has a lot to do with his background and humble beginning. But we have seen many who have strayed along the path. Not Kolo.
July 18th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
Does Kolo have a song or a chant? if not its high time he gets one.
July 19th, 2007 at 12:41 am
I know a lot of ppl admire those so-called “ball playing” central half, a Rio Ferdinand who supposed can pass the ball, and bring the ball out of defence. For me though, my ideal defender is always those who would throw himself in front of a powerful shot by opposing striker, not afraid of getting the ball slam right in the face. Everytime i saw that, it just gave me a feeling how this defender was willing to give his all for the clause.
The defenders i had no respect are those when opposing strikers strike the ball, they turn their face to avoid getting hit by the shot.
The old back 4 virtually everyone of them had that kind of braveness, the new generation though, no body did it more often than Kolo.
I also like to see those photo when they took while a line of defensive wall trying to defend a free kick. From those pictures u basically can tell how a player is really made of. Whether they r sissy or men. When England wall defended a free kick, you can see those United boys, Beckham, Neville, Scholes, they are all brave boys. They jumped trying to block, or try to close down the taker. While many others just simply turned their faces from the shot.
At Arsenal, i don’t wanna name those sissy, i think we all knew who they are or who they were. We got our share of lionhearts as well, Freddie is one, if he leaves, his big heart will be missed. Forget about his Calvin Kelin underpant model image, on the pitch, Freddie is a FLIGHTER. So does Kolo Toure.
July 19th, 2007 at 1:12 am
Kolo Toure is an absolute lion on the pitch who gives it his all no matter what. The amount of praise he deserves he never gets. You put him in as a goalie one day and King Kolo will do it…defensive midfield , left back , emergency centre forward??? No problem boss…I’m there. Much like Gilberto he is extremely efficient at his job and speaks only when needed unlike some big mouths who cannot wait to blurt to the press about pay problems and ambition and all that bull sh*t. Kolo recognizes that AFC have given him a great chance to be a great player and he’s grabbed that with both hands and just gone about doing a job quietly and effectively.
People will point at his aerial ability as a weakness but really its a small thing that he will get better at. His overall qualities shine out in a young raw team and for me he IS the number 1 man at Arsenal right now …Cesc is just behind but King Kolo cares and deserves a tribute like this every 3 months for passign with flying colors almost all the time.
Andez as for Rio Ferdinand … bringin ball about defense is something Kolo did a lot last season when he used to bomb down the pitch terrifying midifelders and centre backs. How many assists does Rio Ferdinand have btw? or goals 4 dat matter? what do we mean by a “ball playing” CB? Its just a silly term used by the media IMO. A CB is a defender first and foremost then everything else…Djourou is a much better “ball player” IMO than Ferdinand..its just he’s not consistent enough. Forget all that…KOLO rocks!!!!
July 19th, 2007 at 1:21 am
I remember that ManU game when we lost 4-2 when Rooney beat our keeper(Almunia i think) and struck the ball towards goal. Kolo dived full length…parallel to the ground in the air and the ball struck his arm and hit the post. But it wasnt a goal…very few CB’s would have done that…he could’ve gotten sent off but it was just another example to show how much he cared.
p.s:Freddie should stay IMO even at a cost and even if he offers little creativity these days.
July 19th, 2007 at 3:55 am
Yes LDE, personally i think Kolo is much better a “ball playing central half” than Rio. The way he charged forward dribbled past a few opposing players i surely rarely saw it from Rio. My above post was merely use Rio to make a point of that “chicken” side of some defenders.
as for Freddie, i think he does still got things to offer. problem is he rarely stays healthy.
But the fact that Freddie always injuried also because the way he played - he’s by no mean the biggest player on the pitch, but he always get stuck in, get physical with players bigger than him. u rarely saw him shy away from physical contract, and even if he knew the opponents would come at him, he still tried to dribble down the flank. Tell that to Reyes.
So this way of play would make him even more vulenable to injury.
I remember many years ago England tried to qualify for Euro 2000. They needed Sweden to beat an opponent in order to qualify. Sweden already qualified themsevles so the England lads afraid Sweden players would not be up for it in the match. Most of the Swedish players didn’t, but not Freddie. In the end it was Freddie’s goal that virtually sent England into Euro 2000.
Talk about professionalism. He’s a best example for the young lads in our team.
Sure, he earned a 70,000 wage. But this is what he DESERVED. He didn’t get this contract after one or two years playing for us. It’s a reward after so many years’ contribution. He is afterall our longest servicing player in the squad. From what i known, players at Arsenal, their pay will get better with years. Initially they don’t pay as high, but if they play well, the club keeps them, their wage will only grow bigger.
July 19th, 2007 at 4:01 am
Absolutely Andez .. Freddie deserves the money he is getting. However its a saying that you got to keep proving yourself all the time. As of now Freddie is not doing it but yes he has got injured a lot and lost some of his pace which was such a key attribute. I’d love to see Freddie here for one more season atleast though. Not coz he might give us 10 goals but just coz he deserves a testimonial.
July 19th, 2007 at 6:10 am
Yes LDE, one regret is Vieira and Henry were both one year shy from their testimonal when they left. The fans never had a chance to throw them a proper farewell.
July 19th, 2007 at 6:48 am
I would feel very uncomfortable going into the season with Rosicky, Hleb, Ljunberg and Walcott as our wide options. Hleb is talented but tends to blow hot and cold and will contribute very few goals. The other three are all injury prone, one is too young and one is too old and none can be depended on to score goals.
July 19th, 2007 at 7:35 am
With all respect@Nipuna ..Its a Kolo thread. We discuss about formations n players all the time but we get threads as these very rarely specially a thread appreciating what Kolo brings to the club. I mean obviously ur free to write wat u feel n want but it’d be really nice if u’d put in a word about kolo as well :). Peace.
July 19th, 2007 at 8:26 am
I love Toure, his attitude is fantastic - this is a player you can honestly say gives 100% on the pitch in every game. Thierry Henry said that when he left Arsenal, but when you actually compare the two you would have to say that was bollocks.
The problem for Toure, as we all know, is his crosses - his marking is appalling. Something is not right here and I put it down to the player because I can’t imagine the coaching staff (Steve Bould) is giving him duff advice. Personally I think Toure suffers if he is playing next to an inexperienced player - he knows Eboue can’t defend well and he knows Senderos can’t and Djourou is a baby and Clichy is not there yet either - so he tries to do the job of four men. This means that at corners he is trying to organise, trying to mark, trying to look for errors others are making and completely forgets about his own man. I am sure this is the case.
Toure needs to focus 100% on what he is doing and other players have to take responsibility for their own game - otherwise the defence soon becomes a disorganised mess, as it was for much of last season. If this is not sorted Arsenal will win zero.
It is very much up to Gallas to start dominating in central defence. Sagna will be important and needs to show his strength and defensive capabilities immediately and Clichy needs to keep improving - he’s going in the right direction. If this happens Toure will be more focused on his own game and the silly mistakes might be eradicated. He is 26 - still young - he has 10 years and will hopefully become the complete defender in 2 or 3.
July 19th, 2007 at 9:05 am
LDE, please look at #3.
July 19th, 2007 at 9:53 am
“Thierry Henry said that when he left Arsenal, but when you actually compare the two you would have to say that was bollocks.”
That is so damn SPOT ON!! Every magazine, internet, interview I read, EVERY player has said they “always give 100% on the pitch”. EVERYONE OF THEM.
Unfortunately “100%” is not something you SAY it then it become reality. “100″ is “100%” ACTION, not words.
July 19th, 2007 at 9:54 am
My humble apologies@nipuna
.. foot in the mouth … sorry 
July 19th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Fans can always see when a player is giving it his all or not. It’s pretty clear. You cannot hide the fact that you are not giving 100%. It’s there for everyone to see. And fans always love players who give their 100% even though they may not be as good as others. That’s why Henry’s statement is utter bollocks.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:11 am
I guess 100% is a very relative term IMO. Titi might well have been thinking ..I’m giving 100% ..maybe that was all he could do at that time. i don’t believe he wasn’t trying at all. Sure we’d love to see all 11 people running all over the pitch and tackling and scoring goals as well but its just not gonna happen. You cannot compare Titi n Toure because one is a defender and one is a creative inside-left cum centre forward. Their jobs are totally different. Titi cannot be expected to stay back and tackle all the time and score goals.
We can maybe compare Titi with someone like Kevin Davies IMO who puts in a herculean amount of effort but scores less goals. So really IMO we have no way of knowing whether Hleb or Titi or Kolo gives 100% or not till you know all the reasons on why they didnt make that extra yard up or an extra tackle or run a bit more to reach the ball. The only person who knows this is the player himself and maybe AW. We can only …as usual speculate.
p.s: BTW where’s Stag havent seen him for a bit. Hope he’s okay and not tearing his hair out
July 19th, 2007 at 10:13 am
I agree though Nipuna..fans love 100% “to be shown” in front of them by the player. Thats why I used to love JAR although he was pretty bad a lot of the time…he always ran his heart out.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:27 am
It’s natural for fans to want the player to give 100%. I put myself in a player’s position and think - I am doing what I love, play football, and I am playing for the club I love, Arsenal, what more do I want? I guess not every player thinks the same way, but Kolo sure does. That’s what makes him a fans’ player.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Well personally no player should ever say they are giving 100% as they are not really in a position to make such a statement. Perhaps it’s for the viewer to decide who is giving 100%.
I wouldn’t say Henry was lazy. He probably thinks there’s no point closing people down because it’s a waste of time - and he’s probably right in some respects, but it then becomes a convenient attitude to take on those days when you can’t be arsed to put the effort in that other players take for granted.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:08 am
Kolo is a fantastic servant for Arsenal and will more likely than not finish his career here. He gives his all and that’s all the coach, teammates, and fans could ever ask for. In the future, he’ll be mentioned with the likes of Tony Adams as a true Arsenal legend.
Sure he has flaws in his game but who doesn’t? People have often said they’d like to see him replaced at CB but he’s a guy that goes out and does everything the boss asks so why would Wenger be looking to replace that loyalty? I frequently mention intangibles; well Kolo certainly brings more intangibles ie. workrate, leadership, and desire to win that you simply can not quantify with statistics. Only a fool wouldn’t respect that.
I still remember his first goal for the club against Leeds. To see the sheer excitement and jubilation when he went to celebrate with Kanu and Vieira is as vivid to me as anything. (Probably because when I want inspiration that’s a match I like to watch. We absolutely destroyed Leeds.) I realised that day he would be special. Kolo Toure is the embodiment of professionalism and we should be honored to have him at our club.
July 19th, 2007 at 12:12 pm
DannyT in #13 said pretty much what I wanted to say. Good post, man.
KT is a rock in our squad and we need him to have a solid year and really set the emotional tone for the defence.
Can the season get here already?
July 19th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Sort of off topic, but for anyone who isn’t following along at home, near halftime in Austria for the friendly vs.Genclerbirligi, Sagna is looking like a great signing, lots of speed and play making ability… likes to play up. (still 0-0 @ 34:35)
July 19th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
At 45:00, Van Persie with a beautiful strike on a Walcott cross to make it 1-0 (yeah it’s a friendly, but who cares?) gorgeous goal.
July 19th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Yeah, Walcott looks like he’s got a point to prove. He looks stronger and more confident. We’ll see if he can challenge Hleb for more play time. Also, Randall has looked good over the first two pre-season matches. Sagna looks okay. RvP and Clichy look a little rusty. We’ll see what happens.
July 19th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
WTF, I’m not watching the game, but on livescore I read that Wiltord is the scorer of the 2nd goal. Can someone who is watching to tell me who is the scorer?
July 19th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
If it is Wiltord and Wenger is looking to get him he is welcome to come back. He would be a great back up for Hleb and Rosicky and also for the strikers. And he bring experience, so he would be a good buy in my opininon.
July 19th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
It’s 3-0… RVP with a brace, and it was Walcott (not Wiltord) with the 2nd goal.
July 19th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Sheed, it was Walcott, not WIltord as Ryecatcher mentioned.
July 19th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
And it’s a match… the final, Arsenal 3, Genclerbirligi 0.
Highlights:
RvP looks to ready to pick up where he left off on last years prolific goal scoring…
Walcott is making a case to start either at wing or striker…
Eduardo brings a no-fooling round, quick set-up approach that can catch the opposition off guard… once the rest of the squad learn to get in position quicker of course…
Bendtner looks like a tank out there. I expect big things from him, and between Ade, RvP and him, Arsenal have a trio of towers to employ on the front line…
Sagna — I LOVE this guy. I think he can play up at midfield if needed. Either way, I defo think he’ll help set the squad at whatever position he plays.
July 19th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
rye, can you tell me where did you watch the game, on tv or you are registered on arsenal.com
July 19th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
3-0 the final score. Diaby looks as skillful as ever but we’ll see if he releases the ball quicker this year. Eduardo will adapt to the EPL pace with no problem as he seems to think quickly. He’s also a good server of the ball. Fabregas looked a little rusty.
Boys, I think we’ve got a keeper battle on our hands. Both Almunia and Fabianski looked pretty good. It’ll be interesting to see if Lehmann keeps his starting role.
For my money, Theo Walcott was the best player today. I know it’s only pre-season but he actually looks stronger and more confident than last season. I think he’s a bit more decisive and that will definitely help his game.
Is anyone going to the Emirates Cup? They still have tickets available for the 28th. That’s my wife’s birthday but she said that we can go so she can go shopping and I can watch the game. Just curious if anyone else was going to make the Saturday games.
July 19th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
i hope this is the tip of the iceberg performance from walcott and RvP.
i am really looking forward to massive steps forward from Clichy, Walcott, Van Persie, Fabregas and Rosicky.
July 19th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
yo josh, where in germany do u live?
July 19th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
can anyone who watched the game tell me about the Randall`s performance? was he significant?
am wondering why he is playing relatively much for a reserve….or maybe wenger is priming him for the loan market!
July 19th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Sheed, on Arsenal TV… it’s only 3.99(GBP) a month (don’t know what that is in Macedonian currency, but it’s about 8 bucks American)… Having paid more than that for a sandwich here in Chicago, I think it’s a worthwhile purchase… especially if you have a DSL or T-1 connection. It’s like watching TV!
July 19th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Thanks rye
July 19th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Looks like we are signing two more youngsters
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=357870
July 19th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
Fred, I live in Kaiserslautern which is in western Germany. In fact I live close to Luxembourg and Belgium and very close (twenty minutes driving) from France.
July 19th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
really?? am often in k-town man, i got a couple of friends there. I live in Saarbruecken which is even nearer to Belgium and Luxembourg than you are.
Am non-military related….but got a friend based in Rammstein though.
July 19th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
yea, I saw that too. I posted this elsewhere earlier today, it’s off Sky… I really like the look of ‘Angelito’ from what I saw of him in the U-20 WC.
http://home.skysports.com/transferarticle.aspx?hlid=477659
July 19th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Just watched the post-match interview with AW, and when asked if there was any truth to the most recent press reports on signing Anelks, he answered plainly:
“No.”
On whether he intends to sign another striker, his response was:
“No, we have signed Eduardo, why should we collect strikers? We buy the strikers we need, and as well we expect Niklas Bendtner to move forward and to show us some aspects of his talent.”
He also remarked on the improvement of Walcott and that he will be putting more on his shoulders this season, as well as his being pleased with Adebayor and RvP as a duo that they “always combine well together.”
July 19th, 2007 at 6:08 pm
for those who didnt see the game….it has been uploaded onto:
http://arsenalgoalsclips.blogspot.com/
yeah, i know its early yet….but adebayor, RvP, walcott look good. same with both keepers. infact the goalie section is very competitive!!
a noticeable negative remains though!!! we are still PISS-POOR in the air. we gave away too many free headers.
July 19th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
I watched the highlights. I don’t know - there’s something about this team. In 3 years you can imagine it wiping the floor with everyone. Denilson, Walcott, Diaby, Fabregas, Van Persie, Traore, Clichy - these are not ordinary kids.
There is no way on earth Wenger would ditch this project. These boys play together week in week out for years until they have an almost telepathic understanding and forge strong bonds - do not underestimate the psychology of football, by the time they’re 22-23 they could be unstoppable. The raw talent is there, all you need to add is experience. That’s where patience is required.
July 19th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
I agree with you wholeheartedly Danny — your assesments of the personnel and your view on the ‘psychology of football’.
The reason I believe in guys like Arsene Wenger is because he takes a professorial approach to the game… which I reckon is why he has been called ‘The Professor’. He doesn’t jump for flashy names the way Fergie does — although that isn’t to say that Sir Alex doesn’t deserve recognition as a manager for the ages. He has a real knack for scouting relatively unknown talent.
That’s one of the greatest components of the Arsenal reputation: it molds its own names, it doesn’t buy them from the market. MUFC, CFC and LFC — hell, even Spurs — can’t really say that anymore.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
I think the fact that he won’t be dislocate his shoulder every time he falls down, will help Walcott be a stronger player this season.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
rye, where we can get ArsenalTV access? Is it in Arsenal.com?
July 19th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
danny, ur assesments are damn spot on these days! definitely agree with ur post on #45. Heard that Arsenal now is tracking another two S.American kids… if so, I believe it’s a sign AW will stay. Otherwise why buy kids? might as well break the bank and roll the dice for one last time.
Joshuad,
“I frequently mention intangibles; well Kolo certainly brings more intangibles ie. workrate, leadership, and desire to win that you simply can not quantify with statistics. Only a fool wouldn’t respect that.”
INTANGIBLE is the key indeed. Football are made up by a lot of X-factors, the INTANGIBLES. If it’s only up to formation, new signings, then everyone can be a manager.
I also believe Kolo will improve in the future. Defenders tend to peak in their late 20s to early 30s. I sure can remember the 30-year-old Tony Adams was twice a player than that clumsy 20-yr-old Adams.
but like u, what i love abt Kolo is his PASSION. I luv it when seeing players celebrated like crazy after a goal, at least it gives u a feeling they do seem to care.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
Just saw the highlights.
We are still looking vulnerable in the air.
Walcott looked good. What he did on the first goal, I want that kind of a winger to replace Reyes.
Song plays CB again. If he is still around there during the Emirates Cup, it could be serious.
July 20th, 2007 at 12:29 am
Here you go Andez:
http://tv.arsenal.com/default.aspx?p=channels/C2_S6&a=26110
July 20th, 2007 at 1:25 am
Danny T #45 spot on. Watching the highlights leaves you with the impression that that they are sooooo young, but that they enjoy playing with each other. They just need that glue - who is going to grow into that position? We”ll wait and see.
The potential is absolutely limitless, and TH leaving will alow them to grow much quicker I believe. I’m going to really enjoy watching this team grow together. AW is going nowhere - he is going to see his project reap ultimate rewards. Am I optimistic?
The back 4 on some of the Arsenal TV highlights was awful though.
Fabianski is very aggressive.
July 20th, 2007 at 10:58 am
This is off Sky… apparently, speculation is that Kroenke is back to making a takeover bid this week:
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=477799&CPID=8&clid=3&lid=2&title=Kroenke+set+for+Gunners+bid&channel=football_home&
July 20th, 2007 at 11:47 am
As you can imagine, this is crap - they don’t know anything. They’re all stealing stories of blogs these days and doing no research - this story was stolen off ANR, and what inside information does Myles Palmer have? He didn’t even know Sagna and Eduardo were coming.
July 20th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Hahaha, you guys must see this :))))))))
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0wYbttU32I
July 20th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
whether the report is true or not, I do believe it’s a matter of time when Kroenke coming back for another attempt to take the club over… And even if he doesn’t, someone else from Asia or Middle East or Mars… wherever, will come and attemp to take over Arsenal.
It’s almost like an INEVITABLE these days, particular when u consider even Birmingham were taken over by someone from Hong Kong. Not to mention Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool, Villa, West Ham, Pompey, Man City….
Of all those clubs who’s remained yet to be taken over, there is no other club made more attractive a target than Arsenal. One of the “Big 4″, and located in London as well, full of media spotlight. Those brilionares got too much money no where to spend would just love it, wouldn’t they?
July 21st, 2007 at 1:34 am
Did Senderos or Djourou play this? Or was it Kolo n Song throughout? If Sendy didnt get a role either game and Alex Song is getting time it pretty much means AW has given up on the big Swiss IMO. I like Sendy .. he’s a bit shaky though for that 1 time in 90 minutes and sadly it invariably costs us games. Well lets c… good to see Theo scoring though and highlights r still downloading
due to a slow Internet connection.
Danny: Yep its something special…thats why Wenger is a management’s dream. Minimum input — Maximum Output(eventually at least). i wouldnt be surprised if he foresaw big money being put into football 5-6 years before when the Invincibles were peaking and DB-10 was slowly fading out. Plus he knew that he didnt want Arsenal to be taken over but still wanted them to compete. The only way was to invest in kids , get an even better system(potentially) and compete without foreign investment.
I’d just love it so so much if we win something this year just as a slap in the face of all those managers who spent truckloads of money. If we do AW will be vindicated and all those quote rehashing journalists and pundits will be shut up once and for all. Even if we dont I hope we continue to play the same way — thats very important….more than the trophies.
July 21st, 2007 at 1:59 am
those pundits will never shut up!! ; ) even if we win the league, they would say AW never win it two-in-a-row to prove that we r the “real” deal…. and even if we win it two in a row, they will point out AW and Arsenal never win the CL….
kinda remind me when we beat Liverpool 6-3 at Anfield last season, lot of ppl been saying how talented a bunch of kids we got…. then a month later with our poor form, the same ppl started saying we need to buy who and who!
i guess that’s they way they earn their living - by writing rubbish. i do hope one pundits would come out and either write us off from the beginning, or believe in our way of building a squad, and STICK WITH IT to the end. don’t just go with the tide and ride the fench. Anybody can be an “expert” and be right all the time if he’s been sitting on the fench.
July 21st, 2007 at 2:51 am
Yeah true….isnt there someone called Alan hansen in the UK who talked about “You never win anything with kids??” … has he said all that crap again recently? If Yes then it would be cool to shut him up. I believe AW could come out one day and blast all these idiots and poke big holes in all their logic but then again its a pointless exercise so he doesnt waste too much energy on it. Too much mediocrity everywhere…glad AW doesnt fall for it…..Oh by the way not to forget this is a Kolo thread …..
So here I go again: Kolo rocks .. Kolo rocks….Kolo rocks
July 21st, 2007 at 6:28 am
As I said in my previous comment, even if the board successfully fight off Kroenko’s bid, someone else will come and try again. Then today I read - Ecclestone now may enter the equation.
Damn. Personally i don’t like to see the club being taken over, but bottom line is - as long as we remained un-taken over, the rumors will never die down, and the club will never be able to truly settle.
so now i’d rather someone, whoever he is, just buy our club tomorrow, then Arsene Wenger and the team can concentrate doing their work.
July 21st, 2007 at 6:51 am
The Ecclestone story is just bs manufactured by the press, they’re only saying it because Dein’s son is going out with Ecclestone’s daughter, or something like that.
Ecclestone’s comment was:
‘ll buy anything if it’s cheap enough. If somebody offers me something that I think is good value, I’ll have a go.”
There’s commitment for you. I couldn’t think of a worse person to take over the club.
This issue is important, not a joke. Who knows what will happen to football in 50 years? The game might take a dip in popularity. If there was a recession in England do you think people would bother turning up and paying £100 to take their kids to the footy? What then if you are saddled with a £600m debt?
Besides, where is this so-called money being splashed out? Man Utd have spent a lot this summer, but various sources say the income generated did not come from the Glazers, Liverpool have splashed out but have and will sell, where’s the money at Villa? No-one is going crazy splashing out - only Abramovic but he was a one-off.
I would only say yes to foreign ownership if Dein was involved because I trust him. Otherwise, I back the board, it’s not necessary - and might never be.
July 21st, 2007 at 8:13 am
Why do people keep on saying “Dein is mister arsenal who always has our interest at heart”. I think thats bollocks. Afterall isnt this the same Dein whose son eagerly facilitated Henry`s move (and according to Barca called in late April to say Henry was available!).
Isnt this the same Dein who was against the new stadium? Isnt this the same Dein who aggravated Anelka, Edu and Cole (yeah, i know all bar Edu were c-nts). But still.
Dein is simply a business man. And the only genius thing he has done is bring Wenger in.
July 21st, 2007 at 8:16 am
Ecclestone = dickhead
We are better off with the current lot. Dein is Mr if it moves, sell it, not Mr Arsenal.
July 21st, 2007 at 9:33 am
Garbage, it was Dein that was instrumental in appointing George Graham, bought Bergkamp, brought Wenger after the board initially resisted it. Dein was the one who who watched the reserves week in week out for 20 years and spoke to Arsene Wenger 5 times a day - do you think Wenger would work so closely with a man whose motto is “if it moves, sell it”? It was Hill Wood who sold all his shares to Dein in the first place. I would trust Dein over Edelman and Fiszman any day of the week - where are they?
According to Barca what?? You believe Barca all of a sudden over someone who worked at the club for 24 years? He aggravated Anelka? Laughable statements.
I’m not saying foreign investment is required, but I still trust Dein - he has been an integral part of what has made this club successful the last 20 years.
July 21st, 2007 at 10:42 am
But where is Dein, his mouth must be taped up, or is he going to return like the prodigal son and prove me wrong?
July 21st, 2007 at 10:49 am
Let me apologize up front as this isn’t for everybody and I don’t know how to send a note anymore with the site just re-done:
Fred, you live hella close to me. I live in this village called Hoheinod which is, just north of Pirmasens. In fact, I was just in Saarlouis yesterday.
It’s probably no more than a 40 minute drive from your house to mine. We can get together and watch a few matches at your place or mine and just talk Arsenal shite in general. We’ll throw some stadion wurst on the grill and I keep cold Erdingers in the fridge. I also have Premier and they show almost all the Arsenal matches live. We’ll have to get together sometime.
July 21st, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Yes Fred, think of the purchase of Dennis Berkgamp, Bruce Rioch would never be able to attract a talent like Bergkamp without Dein pulling all the strings. Dennis probably never even heard of him.
There are not too many ppl u can geniue say he’s Arsenal “Through and Through”. I know George Graham is one, so does Don Howe, those folks like to call Arsenal “THE ARSENAL”.
U can very much add David Dein into the equation.
Simply put - WITHOUT him, there would be NO Arsenal today. What i mean is - Arsenal today would not be the one we are watching.
July 21st, 2007 at 1:17 pm
btw danny, it doesn’t matter whether this Ecclestone report is TRUE or not. My point is - as long as we remain not being taken over, this soft of RUMORS would never go away. The RUMOR itself is enough to cause an unsettle factor to our team.
Think of what the Korenko RUMOR has already brought to us: Accordingly, Dein left because of it….. then because of Dein’s departure, ppl start question of Wenger’s future….. then accordingly, Henry left because of that….
All that started from the REPORT that Kroenko was trying to take over Arsenal. Whether the REPORT or RUMOR is true or not, the damage has already done.
July 21st, 2007 at 1:18 pm
i humbly disagree with u guys. he is WAY overhyped.
i mean he disagreed with building the new stadium.
he watches loads of reserve games and chats with wenger 5 times a day??? so?? ok, then he is an hardworking man doing his JOB! the other board members dont attend loads of reserve games and dont chat with wenger often?? GUESS WHAT??? its NOT their job!
out of spite his son sold off henry probably to put the heat on the board.
we do NOT need foreign or non-foreign investment. and we do not need dein.
if he is in support of kroenke who will LOAD debt on the club then he simply does not have the best interest of the club … and that was why he was chucked out.
July 21st, 2007 at 1:41 pm
@ joshuad: yeah man, i know of hoheinod (why u living in a village?! .. lol)
would luv to….we could have met much, much, much sooner…and probably launched an arsenalamerica-in-germany branch lol!! i always suspected u lived here but always forgot to ask.
) i work for an engineering firm and i have to travel quite a bit.
unfortunately i move for a few months to upstate NY in 11 days (before the season starts!!!
however the offer still stands and hopefully we should kick back on those erdingers and wursts before the end of the year. u gotta give the germans cred for their beer and wursts though! lol.
worst part of the move for me is that i have to now watch matches early in the morning!!
dont like that at all.
July 21st, 2007 at 1:45 pm
How do you know what Kroenke’s plan is? One minute you say Dein was happy to dump a load of debt on the club by siding with Kroenke and the next you are saying he was against the stadium move, which guess what? Dumped a load of debt on the club. You can’t have it both ways.
I’m not saying Dein is perfect, but if you look at the facts - without Dein, no Graham, no Bergkamp, No Wenger. He has shown more interest in player and team affairs than any other board member. And if he’s good enough to be Wenger’s closest ally at the club for 10 long years, then he’s trustworthy enough to be involved in a takeover as far as I’m concerned.
July 21st, 2007 at 2:16 pm
kroenke WILL dump ADDITIONAL debt on the club. we already debt and we will break clean very soon….so why get bought over by someone who has to take a LOAN to buy us. kroenke will “glazer” us, thats a fact. he simply doesnt have the assets to buy us without outright.
he has shown more interest in players and team affairs because that is his JOB!!! why on earth would u expect board members to be involved in the nitty-gritty of running an organization. in every company the board members are an advisory body who just appoint a CEO or executive members and then stay in the background and let the executive(s) do their job!
all in all, the plain fact is kroenke`s net worth is public knowledge. and with those figures he simply cant afford arsenal without taking out a loan. and ofcourse the loan will be put on the club as i really doubt he will put it on walmart! and why will he be interested in going through all that trouble?? because he is knows in about 2 to 3 years arsenal will be a cash-cow.
and he wants to be the one to milk it.
i have no real problem with anybody taking us over….but the person MUST pay off our stadium debt and not take any loans during the sale!
July 21st, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Folk often polarise themselves and go to extremes with their opinons.
I rate Dein very highly. He has been instrumental in much of modern Arsenals emergence as one of Europe’s super-clubs. But he’s not infalible and I didn’t agree with his push for Wembly-sharing.
However life is not smooth. Personalities and ego’s play a part. Obviously Dein failed to persuade the rest of the Board on some of his strategies for AFC. Result, a parting of the ways.
Would I be happy to see him return? Absolutely on the proviso it didn’t fracture the Board and lead to instability.
Re a takeover. My preference is the status quo. The current majority shareholders have a love for AFC. Maybe not the same as ours - cause they’re rich buggers. But a love and empathy none the less. If we can keep that and move forward great. Once we sell we will never return to the type of arrangement we currently have.
On another point: I said a few weeks ago I thought RvP would become Wenger’s next ‘focal’ point in attack. I see that after the last match he was talking up RvP again.
Wenger loves having loyalty as a motivational trigger. He loves players feeling they owe him something. It is a natural motivator and a source of loyalty that keeps foreign players at the club way longer than the average time a foreigner normally stays with a club. With RvP Wenger got him young and showed faith in him and has stood by him thru his personal problems over the last 2 years. That may pay off for AFC.
July 21st, 2007 at 6:45 pm
I’m not polarizing anything. Fred is making out that Dein has done practically fuck all in 24 years at Arsenal. Takeover or no takeover, this man has had a bigger positive impact on the club than any other board member - and he was executive director - he didn’t make the tea.
July 21st, 2007 at 7:12 pm
I always thought Dein was in support of the move to the new stadium. In fact, I believe he was instrumental. I think he originally supported us moving to the new Wembley because he realized Arsenal could not compete over an extended period of time at Highbury. Who knows where we would be if the move to Wembley had transpired. However, I don’t think it is fair to judge someone on moves that never came close to materializing. I also am in favor of any moves that bring him back in to the fold. I think he is a man of great foresight and he works extremely well with Wenger. I also am quite sure that it wasn’t rumors of Kroenke takeover that saw the end of Dein. It was a direct effort by Dein to facilitate a takeover by Kroenke. Just like when Dein fought to have Arsenal play in a stadium that would allow it to compete with the biggest clubs in Europe, so does he believe that Arsenal need this investment to continue to compete and succeed in the global game.
As a resident of Denver, I have seen the work and influence of Stan Kroenke both in the business and sporting world. Obviously, I have never met him personally but I have watched his career with interest for years and could not have been happier when rumors began that he was interested in taking over the one sporting club that I truly love. He has truly earned the nickname of “Silent Stan” because he is very hands off. He hires the right people to do the job and then supports them fully. Also, I hardly think he would go in to debt like the Glaziers. He is worth well over 4 billion dollars. His property and investment holdings are valued at around 3.5 billion. That means he possibly has over 500 million in disposable cash. He is also married to one of the heiresses to the Walmart fortune. I am sure he has the cash on hand to make the purchase without leveraging any other investments or going in to debt. I think it is only a matter of time before he completes the takeover. I hope the board allows this to proceed in a civilized manner. If Arsenal had his ownership and backing and Dein and AW pulling the strings, I think Arsenal would be in a great position to cement itself as one of the top 5 clubs in the world.
July 21st, 2007 at 7:33 pm
And Kolo Toure is the man. He plays his heart out for the club and continues to get better every season.
July 22nd, 2007 at 12:48 am
I don’t think Dein’s attempt to move us to Wembley made any difference of his significance to AFC. We had to remember the circumstance back then: The New Stadium plan was a BOLD move, the club took a great risk to give it a green light. Wembley was an ALTERNATIVE. It would allow us to have a bigger capacity yet at the same time would not restrict our transfer fund like we are suffereing because of the new stadium.
Either way, the Wembley plan or the New Stadium, they were both planned for the GOOD of Arsenal.
July 22nd, 2007 at 4:17 am
@ brendan and andez: nope, dein was against the new stadium and for wembley. the other board members and wenger pushed for the new stadium.
Plus, Brendan, no kroenke is NOT worth 4 billion dollars he is worth 2.1 billion dollars and that equals 1 billion pounds!!! the vast majority of that is probably locked down on his sports teams and his other investments!
as it turns out his wife will hardly bail him out as she is worth 2.7 billion dollars which is about 1.4 billion pounds (most locked in investments).
while arsenal is worth about 600 million pounds plus about 300 million pounds debt. So you see Kroenke CANNOT AFFORD ARSENAL.
except he takes out a loan using ARSENAL AS COLLATERAL!!!
July 22nd, 2007 at 4:39 am
dannyt, why u putting words in my mouth. dein has been doing his JOB for the last 24 years! i never belittled that. all i said is that his last genius idea was bringing in wenger………he is receiving far too much credit almost a mystical status!
and please STOP contrasting his role with that of the board members! dont u work for a company??? the board is an advisory and appointing body. they appoint the executives and advise in the general meetings. the executive then runs the company on the day-to-day basis.
so its rather uneducated of you to continue harping on Dein “doing more than other board members”.
he was sacked from this position because he was actively FACILITATING the sale of his company! so basically he was acting as an agent of the “buyer” while working for the “seller”. in every company in the world, he will get sacked. and if the board were vindictive charges!
not taking anything away from dein - he did his job for the most part very, very well, and garnered a lot of influence in english and european football. but i seriously dont buy into that almost mythical status a lot of fans seem to be putting him in.
i also have my gripe with the board…but i would rather arsenal remained with the status quo - no takeover.
July 22nd, 2007 at 5:37 am
Fred, I’m with you mate, we don’t need a takeover to compete with the best. We have the best young players in the world, one of the best stadiums in the world, all we need is a couple of years patience and then we will be a force again.
The only thing that bothers me is as someone mentioned before, the team will be unsettled with all the rumors about the takeover as long as it’s not done.
July 22nd, 2007 at 5:49 am
I think it’s actually very simple. Lets take an analogy: This thread for example..Why do people love Kolo so much? Why do people love him inspite of his faults? Why do people call him a fan’s player…a manager’s dream etc etc. Its because he gives 100% all the time and he shows that on the field …he shows that he cares…in PUBLIC….thats the way he is…heart on sleeve. So people constantly see Kolo n say … Ahh now there’s a guy who is Arsenal through and through..
Now lets look at DD…he is the one who is always in the limelight whenever a big move happens and specially when it turns out to be a successful one. Since he is assisting AW in the business side of things and AW’s player judgement is very rarely screwed bar the occasional f*&# up DD gets a lot of things right as well…since the player usually performs so well that the money spent on him is worth it even if he goes out on a free…(Pires) so DD has always won there. Mind you I’m not advocating anyone can do it…its obviously a very skilful job which requires an indepth understanding of football economics but the DD/AW partnership has been so publicized that everyone think that its just the two of them who are 100% responsible and the rest of the board are idiots. Maybe not on this site so much…but a lot of them do think that way…
Now lets look at our board … I’m not that educated about our history so correct me if I’m wrong but all the boardroom decisions are silent …as is always teh case with any boardroom decision. But they although remarkably successful at what they have achieved( Ashburton Grove ) have never got the credit because they are never in your face ..in the limelight…doing hectic player deals and saving money directly. Thats done by DD and thats what “PEOPLE SEE” .. hence DD gets more credit and while he has done a fabulous fabulous job it wouldn’t have been possible without the board helping him.
IMO there’s no point slating Dein for trying to sell the club behind AW’s back nor is there any point saying that he is the be all and end all of Arsenal. Its a club , a team and DD while hugely important is/was not irreplacable. No one is….not even AW much as I hate to say it.
So yes…we lost a lot with DD going and whether we will gain from him coming back or not is akin to saying soemthing like … WIll Eduardo score 20 goals for us this season? No one knows…no one….anyone apart from the prople who have the facts in front of them ( The board and the shareholders ) are talking through their hat IMO.
Peace –> Fred n Danny
July 22nd, 2007 at 5:59 am
Interview with Keith Edelman. He talks about Emirates Stadium, Arsene Wenger, the media speculation about a posible takeover and the financial health of the team. And he agrees with me and Fred that you don’t need to get a takeover to compete with the best.
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=477812&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=%27I+believe+we+have+the+best+stadium+in+the+UK%27
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=477816&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=%27We%26rsquo;re+quietly+confident+that+Ars%26egrave;ne+will+stay%27
July 22nd, 2007 at 1:38 pm
What exactly the fcuk are y’all talking about? Who cares?
Long live King Kolo!
July 22nd, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Oh yeah, and bring back stag133. I know you guys have got him taped up somewhere. This is the unofficial Bring Back Stag133 Campaign.
Up the arse!
July 22nd, 2007 at 3:26 pm
nah, he`s not taped up…he`s at http://www.chelseafcamerica.com/
and he’s having fun so dont disturb him!
July 22nd, 2007 at 8:15 pm
I looked there Fred they gave him the toss. Something about being overly optomistic!
Should we put him on the back of a milk carton?
Stag come on back anytime at least some of us miss your posts.
July 22nd, 2007 at 10:12 pm
gents, I am alive and well…
been on holiday for a spell… away from the internet and all things football!
lurking a bit on here the last few days, and there are a few other Arsenal sites out there where you can give an honest opinion and not have the name-calling from behind a computer screen go on.
The other Arsenal sites aren’t Arsenal America, but then again, what is!
Fear not, I won’t let the pom-pom waving, and the Arsenal tinted glasses posse’ go un-checked.
But its fun to see some of the folks go at each other over the Dein situation.
The facts are, that he is a very large part of Arsenal’s success in recent years, and respected by the players and Wenger.
And Kolo Toure does rock. I’d like to see him or Gilberto as captain, but I fear Wenger will give it to Cesc to try and keep him here, just like he did with Henry.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:27 am
Glad u r back Stag. This site lack a bit of spice without u around!
don’t take the name-calling stuffs too hard. One thing abt this site is many regulars here been dropping by in a daily base for a few years, so we know each other (at least in terms of their view and opinion) well.
personally, though i have been to other forum, message boards as well, but i never be able to hang around there for long. I find it more enjoyable having ppl around u been chating to in a regular base than with other sites that u probably got 100 different ppl leaving msgs in a same thread, nobody really has a clue what others are talking about, and dont really care much neither.
At least, think about that, when u leave a msg board from other site for a while, nobody probably even noticed you had ever present.
when i was out for a while early this year, when i dropped by here one day, i saw ur msg asking where were I, and mocking me as usual that i were ultra positive! but hey, at least someone still remember this name Andez! just like I still remember the name ScottyUS and LoveG!
Likewise, now Joshuad even tried to start a campagin to lurk u back! And I m pretty sure though, nobody mentioned before, most of the regular here noticed ur absence lately!
So yes, Kolo Toure rocks! ArsenalAmerica rocks as well!
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:23 am
Is Freddie really gone?
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:25 am
Quoted Henry “At the moment Freddie Ljungberg IS still an Arsenal player”.
July 23rd, 2007 at 6:10 am
BBC Sport (a quite dependable source) says West Ham will “unveil” Ljunberg as their player at 1400 BST today.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/6911613.stm
July 23rd, 2007 at 6:21 am
I hate all this transfer talk, but I did see this morning that there were links between Arsenal and Stephen Appiah. Always liked Appiah and thought that a physical midfielder was something that Arsenal could have used in recent years. Would be part time with ACN going on this year, but who cares he’s an absolute beast.
July 23rd, 2007 at 7:07 am
I thought Ljungberg said he could never play for another English club?
By the way, I haven’t had any arguments with Fred whatsoever, it was a frank exchange of views. I respect Fred, he doesn’t say things like “if Wenger doesn’t sign his contract he can f*ck off”.
Personally I hope Stag never comes back, he’s about as entertaining as a Victoria Beckham, and equally stupid. Pity the poor forum that does get him - give it 2 weeks and they’ll be insulting him too for his idiotic remarks.
July 23rd, 2007 at 7:40 am
Fred like all freds worldwides ;-))) is a decent bloke … but it was time for him to leave and i bet he knew that. West Ham are simply the only club willing to pay his wages, and we cant begrudge him that. I wish him success and healthy (not against Arsenal though).
With Ljunberg gone we SHOULD at least bring in one winger because we are short on numbers.
Stephen Appiah is not better than any of our 4 CMs.
July 23rd, 2007 at 8:22 am
Of course you hope I don’t come back Danny, because you’re a bully behind a computer screen, who loves to name call. Bullies don’t like a fight or people who fight back.
Freddie Ljungberg is an Arsenal legend of his era… 9 years for the club, has been a fantastic and loyal servant to the team, always gives his 100%, can’t ask much more from the player. I don’t recall him talking in the press about the club… and if he IS leaving, it would only be because Arsene told him he wouldn’t get playing time at the Arsenal. That would be the only way he’d go.
There will be those who don’t see the value of a 9-year veteran with the experience of having won trophies and medals and playing for his national team… but he is EXACTLY the type of player Arsenal need in this current squad. Someone to come off the bench and start sometimes… providing the calmness and no-how that the kids lack.
If he is gone, it will be yet another piece of experience gone from our team.
He’d be a positive influence at West Ham or any team he plays for.
July 23rd, 2007 at 8:38 am
Interesting comments from Ljungberg. Talking about how Wenger promised he would sign big players when he extended his contract two years ago and how he was disappointed Wenger never followed through with those promises. Henry felt the same I can guarantee that.
It confirms what I’ve thought all along. That we have always had money to buy players superior to the ones we’ve already got but Wenger became obsessed with the youngsters and was incapable of distinguishing between those with promise and those with limited ability. Hopefully Wenger has woken up on that score, however his rather simplistic rationale for his two signings thus far do not feel with me confidence that he has learnt any sort of lesson.
What Wenger is very good at his letting players go at the right time, and this is the right time for Ljungberg to go.
Stag, Ljungberg would have been no use to us nor will he probably be any use to West Ham because if you haven’t noticed he can’t string three games together without getting crocked. I can’t see how a change of clubs will change his glaring physical deficiencies.
July 23rd, 2007 at 8:48 am
Stag, I agree with the fact that we need experience but to try and buy experience is something I’m not a fan of. The experience needs to be from within our own ranks and, sadly, we’re quickly running out of that resource. I also agree with you that, like Kolo, Freddie did give his all everytime he stepped onto the pitch. He played with his whole heart and without fear.
But his time was up. He said Wenger promised big, new players and it never seemed to happen. That, along with Henry’s departure, were his expressed reasons for leaving Arsenal. Those are easy things to say and he’s got to say something that will keep his reputation intact. We’ll miss our Sweedish warrior but I wish Freddie good luck.
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:03 am
stag, what excuse do you have to moan about now?? 1 goal in 2 seasons is EXACTLY the sort of experience we DONT want spreading in the dressing room!!!
the guy is a legend but he was missing one-on-ones (his bread and butter) for crying out loud!
pires, henry, vieira, cole, etc all had takers so it showed the level he had dropped that he couldnt even go to a UEFA cup team. we sold him 2 seasons too late in my opinion.
however for the 7 years before hand he remains a legend. goodluck to him!
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:12 am
Welcome back Stag…you numbskull! What the hell are you talking about Ljungberg being exactly the kind of player we need for the squad?!!!!
Seriously I disagree, wages of 70k a week and zero production, after 6 awesome years, he was never the same player once the genius of Bergkamp left and to top it all before every single Bolton game he’d be quoted in the press saying that we would fight for every ball, had to match fire with fire and was then usually the first to get kicked off the park and then be out for the next 3 weeks (let the football do the talking Freddie was what I always thought). I’m delighted that we managed to get up to 3 million for him, thank him for his efforts and wish him all the best for the future. It remains to be seen if Wenger will even replace him or will just buy Reyes an umbrella and a sun lamp.
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:14 am
removing toure and gilberto who came in 2002, everybody in our current team has been in the squad since 2003. thats just 4 years. that must be a record.
now some squad questions need to be “answered”:
- is almunia really happy with 3rd choice goalie position? i hope so!! fabianski for FA cups and almunia for League cups!
- senderos? is something going to be done about him or is he gonna step up?
- flamini? i hope he is happy with his backup LB/reserve CM position…cos i dont want to hear any moanings from him mid-season…afterall he has the chance to leave now.
- gallas? i expect him to moan on august 11, one day before our opener!
- winger? when is wenger gonna sort out that position. with ljunberg and reyes gone we MUST buy in that position. no ifs or buts.
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:24 am
@ mazza:
the only players at arsenal with limited ability are: senderos, song and hoyte. u cant slate any of the others for lack of ability at least.
of the 3 with limited ability: hoyte is 3rd choice RB, song is 5th choice CM…and senderos … well…. still needs to be dealt with.
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:40 am
See, he comes back and his very first statement is totally absurd - he has no understanding of anything - why don’t we keep Ljungberg until he’s 50. Forget that he might need a walking stick but I’m sure his experience would be invaluable. Bullying my arse. Whenever my statements point out the simple contradictions and absurdities of whatever you say, you call me a bully.
You’re not weak Stag, you’re thick. You are welcome to post here whenever you want, I couldn’t care less you can do whatever you like - but if you talk sh*t all the time then you will get picked apart and made to look an idiot, as has been the case for several years now and not only by me, but practically everyone on here at one point or other.
The only people who want you want you back are those who find you a circus act and enjoy a good laugh.
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:49 am
You’re a one trick pony Danny… all you do is name call.
As I have said before, a tough guy behind a computer screen.
Sorry bully-boy…
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:49 am
You’re a one trick pony Danny… all you do is name call.
As I have said before, a tough guy behind a computer screen.
Sorry bully-boy…
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:52 am
Flamini has limited ability, as in a limited ability to move faster than a slug and have an ounce of dynamism. Denilson could be put there as well. Good football brain, but what else does he really have to cut in top team like Arsenal?
Also, if Song is in the squad there is good chance that one rainy day in November he is gonna show up and put in a Fulham away-style performance.
Three players of that calibre are more than enough to ruin any aspirations for a top two finish. Hell, even with a few more good signings allied with the current squad we still probably won’t get near Chelsea and Man United. Alot of our first teamers have major weaknesses as it is.
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:59 am
You’re right we won’t get close to winning the league, but it will be closer than last year - unless we have the same injury problems in which case we won’t. It’s about the young players taking a big stride forward next year and knitting together a lot tighter - so let’s hope they can. I think it’s best not to get carried away even if this team has a very good start - I’d be pleased with 3rd, less than 12pts behind the top team - FA Cup medal, Semi-Final of Champions League.
I think every team has 2 or 3 duds, even Chelsea, Bhoularouz and the horrible keeper they had…. oh, and that guy…. Shevchenko.
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:13 am
acutally guys Stag is right…. Sort of. We do need experience. We need our young players to gain it. The likes of Toure, Gallas, Gilberto all have it. Rosicky has great experience in Germany. Cesc, Ade, RVP, Hleb have been regulars for a couple of years now.
The final peices to the puzzle need that time on the pitch to mature. there is no denying that Walcott, Denilson, Diaby, Clichy etc. have the talent to be here they just need the game time.
If we keep Viera, Henry, Freddie and whoever else from years past these youngsters never get the experience. If we would never have sold, this year would be about the last year most of the invincibles would be effective. Then what would we have? Either a bunch of kids with no experience or a bunch of over priced “big names” would have to be brought in ala Spurs. Then the team chemistry is screwed. No thanks.
It would be nice to get a “super class” signing yes. But I have this feeling that January may be the window that Arsene finally goes big on someone. He can see where this squad is at for half a season then add the final peice. Or he could just buy a few more kids with genuine promise. which IS more likely but hey a guys gotta dream right?
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:22 am
but Mazza, all Flamini has is dynamism, what he actually lacks is the football brain to stop running around like a headless chicken, hence he was better as a full back where he is limited in where he can go…and talking of where he can go, he’ll be off on a free at the end of next season and will have a tiny role in this squad.
Denilson on the other hand more than held his own against the Chelsea and Totenham first choice midfield, he was able to handle the physical side and knows how to move the ball quickly. It’d be great if he was a bit taller, but to me he looks a very good, very clever footballer.