May 27
A new entry to continue the discussion from the previous thread.
75 Responses to “Players & Game talk continued…”
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Arsenal America
Official United States Supporters Club of Arsenal FC
Arsenal America Events
Arsenal America Dinner
In Honor of Danny Karbassiyoon
January 25, 2008
Washington DC
See photos Here!
May 28th, 2008 at 12:17 am
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/7417746.stm
Not surprisingly, the number of English players at Arsenal is abysmally low. But guess who is second worst? Liverpool!! I guess only Carragher and Gerrard are carrying the flag for them.
May 28th, 2008 at 12:24 am
From Goodplaya -
“A quick thought: The title is no longer being won by the team that loses the fewest games. Instead, it is the team that wins the most games that comes out on top.
Witness United 07-08 (lost five), United 06-07 (lost five) and Chelsea 05-06 (lost five). All three won the title by eliminating the draws - keeping them to a maximum of five all season.
The point is the damage done by a draw that becomes a defeat (one point) is just half of what is achieved when a draw becomes a victory (two points).
We still draw too many games.”
This is something I’ve been saying all season. We need to eliminate the draws. One win and one loss is better than two draws.
May 28th, 2008 at 2:55 am
Other “might be significant” news. Maybe to add something to our medical team:
http://www.canaries.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetails/0,,10355~1319922,00.html
May 28th, 2008 at 4:20 am
There was news that Gary Lewin might leave to join the England team full time.
May 28th, 2008 at 5:04 am
Its sad .. all the old guard slowly leaving..one by one…all points to fat boy taking over in 3 years or whatever. The thought itself is sick.
May 28th, 2008 at 10:18 am
So the “rumors” are that Hleb is wanted my more than one team… Barca wants him and Ade as well.
I read 15 Million mentioned?
Really.
Well… if we are NOT going to spend whatever we get on a Hleb transfer, then its BAD business. But as long as the money is re-invested into the squad, then… thats a fair piece of change for Alex Hleb.
No, I don’t think we can panic at the disco… quite yet…
We tend to wait and wait and wait on transfers… and the drama builds, and we bring in some unheard of! its worked before… but wouldn’t it be nice to actually have the team set before going into training in Austria??!
May 28th, 2008 at 10:22 am
COME ON USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARSENAL WILL BE OK HLEB CAN GO BYE JACK ASS
May 28th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Domenech has dropped Flamini from the Euro squad. Diarra and Nasri are included.
May 28th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I’m not concerned by Hleb and Flamini leaving, as I feel we have some midfield cover, along with the potential Nasri signing. The thing that concerns me the most is possibly losing Ade. He has grown tremendously over the last 2 seasons, and I think he is still growing. Losing him would be my nightmare during this transfer window.
May 28th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
RVP sure has a lot to say for someone who can’t stay on the field.
http://www.goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=714389
May 28th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
ugh. what whiny bitches footballers can be. i used to think we were different.
May 28th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
I’m hoping RVP said that out of frustration that his mates are leaving, but I read an article a day or two ago that said that our wages are in line with Pool and Manure. I know there are clubs out there that pay more, but it isn’t like we are paying them minor league wages. I also saw where Cesc and his new agent are in discussions on improving his wages. His agent is the son of Dein. This is turning into a soap opera.
May 28th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
The Club’s wage policy doesn’t mean that players don’t get paid well. It just means that there are guidlines and criteria (age, experience, contribution, etc.) in place to help determine appropriate wage levels. It’s a form of financial controllership that you would hope every club would have in place for the health of the league.
Arsenal does not underpay anyone. Henry was one of the leagues top paid players and appropriately so. Furthermore, the Club frequently redoes/improves contracts when it is appropriate. Of course, you cannot constantly be the highest paying/bidding Club for every player. There is always someone in need out there willing to pay more for a particular player. Consequently, you have to create the best overall footballing environment and hope that it is sufficient to attract/satisfy the majority of your players. When it isn’t you have to be willing to stay disciplined, make touch choices, and let players go.
May 28th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Well said USGunner, in fact Arsenal pays their players very well but have less discrepancies between the low and high echelon salary brackets.
May 28th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
RVP shouldn’t say shite about anything.
He’s GLASS CANDY.
Sweet and Fragile.
May 28th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Flamoney out of CL and French squad. The Arsenal curse strikes again.
At least he can spend his new found wealth on an expensive vacation during the Euros.
May 28th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Our club’s (£90m) payroll is only £2m pound less than that of United (£92) this season, so we’re good. The only difference is that United’s top player make a lot and their academy players make little, while Arsenal’s youngsters make considerable more while our top players don’t make quite as much. You can say we’re overpaying our kids and under paying our best veteran players. So it’s not just the fact that Wenger gives youth a chance to play that attracts so many youngsters to our club, it’s the money as well. Once they players mature and become good, we no longer pay the top dollar and that’s when they leave for other big clubs.
On the “draw vs win” point, I agree the current system which gives 3pts for a win and 1 for a draw. In fact I’d say do not give points for nil-nil draws to encourage teams to go for wins instead of a point. The whole idea of the football league changing from 2 to 3 pts for a win is to give greater emphasis on winning teams than drawing teams. And at that we were rightly punished for it.
I would even say Chesea’s 95pt season with W29 D8 L1 and 91pt season with 29W D4 5W is a bit more impressive than our 90pt unbeatean season with W26 D12 L1. Keep in mind Chelsea won back to back titles with 29 wins in both year. That’s really consistent and impressive.
The difference between our invincible season and this year? the 3 losses. Nobody would come out and say we had a problem drawing games during that year (12 draws is a lot, and had we lost a couple games that year we’d be 2nd again). Drawing games seems to be our problem, not just these season, but in season’s past as well. Just that this year it mattered more because we were so close to the title.
May 28th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
stag, great one on that “glass candy” description, spot on!
May 28th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Well said USGunner, I would imagine we pay our younger players more because we actively recruit the best and most are from abroad. Wenger has increasingly placed reliance upon the young brigade as a source of player replenishment and that comes at a price. While other clubs dabble in the young-player market it is our primary strategy.
Arsenal are run like a business - that’s why we are where we are. But don’t expect many people to praise them for that. It’s easier to come out with anal comments with no substance for which you’ll never be held accountable for.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Arsenal decision-makers have to make calls on what a player is worth, and how to slow the natural price spiral in a market where the commodity is rare, limited, much sought after and yet woefully unpredictable. Todays must-have superstar is tomorrows expensive disappointment - look no further than Ronaldiniho and Henry.
I see Darren Dein is Fab’s new manager…..groan. That doesn’t look helpful - no doubt it will be an issue one day.
May 28th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
According to Henry Winter from the Telegraph, Arsenal have signed Samir Nasri for 12.5m.
Snazzy name.
At 20 (soon to be 21) he has amassed 121 appearances with Marsaille. So his age belies his experience. But in those 121 games he has only scored 11 goals - or 1 goal every 11 games. So don’t be expecting our goal scoring issues to disappear in the short term.
Welcome Samir, but I’m over getting all hot and sweaty about the next best young thing. Inevitably the reality is well below the hyped expectation.
As for RvP and his thinly veiled complaints at recent exits. Hard not to sympathise whilst accepting his own case is a bit hollow given the negative impact his injury was last season…and the last….and the one before that. But he has a point. One thing to sheed the old skin of Arsenal Mk II to allow Mk III to emerge, but to then start sheeding Mk III just opens you up to criticism. And a 20 year old Samir hardly cuts it as a confidence booster.
May 28th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
These are the actual wage budgets: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7424134.stm. This is the link (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7423254.stm#wages) to the full article which basically says that player wages represent 63% of turnover in England. Arsenal’s wage budget places them 3rd behind the usual suspects. Chelsea’s wage bill is obscene at 132 million pounds. So unless RVP is smoking funny cigarettes, he should shut the f**k up about higher mathematics he doesn’t understand.
May 28th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
@ Neova?
Are U kidding?
We went an entire season UNBEATEN.
There is a reason it was like 100 years since its been done… because its so freaking difficult to do. You can NOT have that “off” day, or lose to the lucky goal or odd bounce. We NEVER lost for ANY reason… unbeaten, undefeated, invincible… it was miraculous.
May 28th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Finally the great man (Hleb) speaks to ‘deny’ that he wants to leave Arsenal. He would not comment on statements (from his agent) made in the press on ‘his’ behalf. So where has he been while all this furor has been going on. Under a rock perhaps. Now he’s singing the praises of Wenger. A-hole. I’ll bet no one (Barcelona and Inter) has lodged an official bid and he sees Nasri (his ‘replacement’) practically signed, sealed and delivered. He and his agent are starting to sweat that their plot is starting to unravel. Wenger is now holding all the aces.
Would you put it past Domenech to drop Flamini for simply going to Italy? Apparently Milan brought Flamini in to replace Brocchi who is being released. That’s a hoot.
I was critical of the US Men’s team lineup and they did not disappoint me today. England might as well have been playing San Marino today for all that the US showed today.
May 28th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/internationals/terry-this-shows-i-am-a-man-for-the-big-games-835933.html.
JT, give me a f*****g break.
May 28th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Welcome aboard, Nasri.
Looks like he’s a bit more direct and muscular than Hleb. Anyone seen in action over an extended period?
May 28th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
I haven’t seen much action of him, but I plan to youtube him to see what’s out there.Hopefully his signing is followed by some defensive cover, and perhaps a true wing player. At least we are getting into the transfer action a little earlier this year.
May 28th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
kiwi, one thing is Nasri is only 20. if he hasn’t been scoring many goals during the past 121 appearances he made for his former club, perhaps it’s because he was still learning the game.
one thing with young player is - they don’t just improve gradually. a more likely sceniro is - initially they improved slowly, yet when they reach a “point” they will suddenly make a big leap forward.
i don’t know much about Nasri to be honest. but we all know AW likes to sign players BEFORE they reached that breakout point. like Anelka, Vieira, Henry at the past. cos if a player has had already reach the breakout point, his price probably would be without our range.
i disagree with the idea of we should break the wage structure. The club has been running well with this policy. And most signficantly, so many GREAT Arsenal players at the past - Adams, Bergkamp, Vieira, Henry had all played more than 10 years or near to 10 years UNDER this Arsenal salary cap, and those guys had done a lot for the club, and all had helped Arsenal to win plenty of trophies.
So why should we break the wage cap, and make an exception for this new generation of Arsenal players, who have not even won a thing for us?
May 29th, 2008 at 12:41 am
Nasri’s record at Marseille doesnt matter. Pires had an equally dismal record over there.
What matters is how interested is the player in scoring when given technical freedom. From what I have seen of him, he seems to have the ambition.
Second plus side is that at 20/21 he is still about 6 years from his professional peak.
May 29th, 2008 at 1:15 am
In the French Ligue 1 this season he scored 6 goals in 30 games with 11 assists and 2 goals in 5 games for France so he seems to be improving his ratio. He also should get more opportunities at Arsenal to put it in the back of the net.
May 29th, 2008 at 1:15 am
@ andez: actually a wage structure has to be dynamic not static. the wage bill should make allowances for the top-end employees. this is the same for all businesses - not just in football.
if fabregas wants 100k, you give him 100k…..if flamini wants 80k you kick him out to the curb. but you have to be flexible.
we should probably pay our younger players less to give more room to our top-end players, this aint communism - the big boys should get the big pay.
May 29th, 2008 at 1:19 am
seems like teams are ready to fork out up to 15 million pounds for hleb. GREAT!!!
if a concrete offer comes wenger should grab it pronto! for a moment there i thought we had to settle for 5 million or such.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:56 am
I think we should demand 20 million for Hleb. His value should not be based only on how good he is but also because of how important he is to our team and our style of play. Hleb is quality and if Barcelona or Real Madrid want that quality then that’s fine but they’ve got to pay a proper fee for that. I’m sick of watching fantastic footballers leave Arsenal for cheap. They can either put up or shut up.
May 29th, 2008 at 6:50 am
Andez, we have to move with the times in some way and using more flexibility with wages is a good- and in this and age- necessary change.
We simply pay too much money for average youngsters and although Kiwi said it appears to be a primary strategy with us, we need to make cutthroat decisions at times and let go of players who are patently not improving.
This season, if Diaby and Denilson do not show tangible improvement, they should be shown the door because they’re just filling valuable spots
I think we now know why Justin Hoyte is staying. He’s getting a good wedge and it has sullied his ambition. He needs to ejected immediately.
Arsenal’s problem is alot of quantity but not enough quality. We have alot of youngsters creating illusory depth that the goes up in a puff of smoke when we reach the business end of things. So, get rid of the dead and uninspiring wood and that might free up money to keep a select few players that we can’t afford to lose.
May 29th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Stag @22
Yes, being unbeatean is incredible, it requires you to continue a streak of not losing for an entire season. It does not, however, explain why we had 12 draws. I’m not downplaying the achievement of the Gunners, but just putting it into perspective with the overall points total. 90 pts is great, but not unachievable. If the Chelsea of 2004/5 (95pts) and 2005/6 (91pts) played our invincibles of 2003/4 (90pt) we would still finish second. Would our “invincible season” be of any significance had we not won the league despite the unbeaten streak?
What if a team drew every single game next season and ended up at the lower half of the table (or might even be relegated) with only 38pts?
If I remember correctly, Inter was also unbeatean for around 32 games a couple seasons ago, but finished 3rd with 1 or 2 losses in the end? They drew most of their games while Juve and ACM won more, drew less with a few losses here and there. If the there was only 2pts awarded for a win, then drawing becomes less of an issue.
The topic raised by Goodplaya was that people often view drawing as a good thing (maybe for a relegation threaten club) but should be viewed as a loss (most of the time) by a top club as it effectively means you lost 2 pts in the title race.
May 29th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Football is a strange world where winning is not always the key to living happily ever after. Mourinho gets booted after a conflict with Terry. Mancini despite ‘3′ Scudettos gets booted because of a “divided” dressing room. Capello wins the first La liga title in a dog’s age for Madrid and gets the boot because his football is too “defensive”. A lower division English side fired their manager and hired the PR guy to replace him. The manager’s crime was that he won promotion but ownership don’t want to upgrade their infrastructure as require at the next level. Wenger hasn’t done much for us lately but he brings stability, princinples and the dream of winning based on his track record.
May 29th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2008/7421737.stm
All but one BBC pundit are tipping Germany or Spain. Incredible!!
May 29th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Could it be that the reason Hleib may be backtracking on his comments about leaving Arsenal is that Inter fired Mancini who was instrumental in making the deal with his Hleib and his agent?
Although Barca and Real are supposedly showing interest they have had no solid talks with these two clubs and Hleib may be looking to cut his losses if he has to stay at Arsenal for another season.
Something to think about.
May 29th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
If Hleb doesn’t leave this summer, he might end up being another “viera”, pondering and giving us fans uncertainly during every transfer window.
Once a player is unsettled and even pondered to leave, it’s only a matter of time.
I hope that Wenger will bring in Nasri with or without Hleb in the team. If Hleb leaves, it’s obvious we need a replacement in mid-field (although it won’t be a direct replacement) and if Hleb stays then it will challenge him for a starting place.
May 29th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
“Once a player is unsettled and even pondered to leave, it’s only a matter of time.”
Agreed. Whatever the twists and turns with Hleb, for me he’s looked to be going since the moment he conveniently got the red card for slapping an opponent. That quite nicely brought his season to a close, saving him from further play and any chance of injury, so he could reflect on his summer move.
It was one of the more sickening acts of professional distain I have seen in the spoilt world of ludicrously paid sportsmen.
It would be nice to treat his departure with similar distain, but sadly, we are so thin on the ground with experience that his loss is a real blow. The wide midfield role that he and Rosicky play is pivotal to Wenger’s thinking. Hleb didn’t make an impact in that role until his 3rd year at the club, we can’t fairly assess Rosicky after 2 years due to his physical limitations. So it seems logical to expect a replacement to take at least a year to adapt.
May 29th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Another example of disdain on view is the horribly cynical treatment of Chelsea coach Henk ten Cate. That most horrid of little men Peter Kenyon inferred to him he was ’safe’, Henk ten Cate publicly stated this placing a measure of trust in Kenyon, yet within days he is sacked. Chelsea really do stink.
May 29th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
If only they could all adapt as quickly as Sagna. Alas, that’s only a wish, and quality players seem to take at least six months to come into their own as with Eduardo.
This makes it very critical for us to get off to a good start with the current squad players. The two vital cogs here are RVP and Rosicky and if they stay healthy for the first half of the season we will have a good chance of bringing home some hardware.
If we are able to start the following team on a consistent basis until the new additions gel we should be more than okay:
Almunia
Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichey
Walcott/Eboue, Song, Fab, Rosicky
Ade, RVP
Bench: Nasri, Vela, Denilson, Diaby, Djourou, Fabianski, Bendtner, Traore, Silva
Both Nasri and Vela should acclimatize very easily as although being young, both have high club level and international experience. In particular, Nasri seems to have blended very quickly into the French national team and has been even more impressive on the international stage than at his club.
We may well see Arsene experiment with a 4-3-2-1 with Ade upfront and Vela\Walcott and RVP supporting and Fab, Song\Silva and Rosicky\Nasri completing the midfield trio.
Only time will tell.
May 29th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
I like the way you think CaribKid even though I’ve been challenging your recent posts
but I’m going to challenge you again.
My optimism from last season has been tested by fire and our ‘issues’ are clearer, I suggest:
1. Unmitigaged reliance on RvP and Rosicky = negligence
2. Nasri and Vela need a year (at least) at Arsenal before we place title-winning responsibility upon them
3. Walcott - juries out. For him to meaningfully contribute as first choice in a title winning side is expecting a massive improvement from the lad.
4. Squad experience/maturity (23+ age range) is reaching the threadbare stage…..I’m happy with Wenger’s strategy of building a talented young base to save us millions going forward. But this doesn’t mean we don’t need a layer of maturity now to be competitive and allow the young players to learn in a healthy environment.
So for me 3 out of 4 first-choice key attacking outlets in your line-up are huge risks. 2 due to physical issues, and the third due to the stage of his development. Add to that the immaturity of the squad and I think Wenger has a huge job to do this off-season.
May 29th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
DONT MATTER IF U LIKE SAMIR OR NOT LOOKS LIKE HES GONA BE A GOONER SO LETS SEE IF HE PANS OUT I THINK HE WILL DO JUST FINE BUT THATS ME
May 29th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
neova, i think Hleb’s case is far worse than Vieira. Paddy himself, even during his constant flirting with Real Madrid back then, gave me an impression he was actually “hestiated” on whether he should stay or go.
his last minute U-Turn the season before he was sold, some suggested it’s because Real didn’t offer him a high enough wage to tempt him away. but to me it also showed that Arsenal did mean something to Vieira, that he needed a much higher wage than what he was earning at Arsenal to PULL him away. if the offer was only slightly higher, he would opt to stay.
and anyway, it happened during the later years of Vieira’s Arsenal career. When he had already won plenty of trophies for Arsenal. So in a sense, he deserved and earned his big money move.
regardless of the opinion on how crucial Hleb is to me, the fact is he did not win anything for us. and after the manager, and fans alike had waited patiently for two years (when he was struggling) to finally have him adapted to the English game, the coming season should be a season he REPAY Wenger’s faith in him, least the other way around.
with that, he will be up there with Anelka, Cashley Cole to me.
May 29th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Arsenal904, barring injuries I think Nasri will be exceptional for us in the coming years. He is a fighter with immense skills and has displayed the maturity and fortitude at a young age like most of the other exceptional stars.
At the age of 20 he is displaying Hleib like skills when Hleib first arrived at 24.
May 29th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
I did say sometime back that if Mourinho takes over at Inter, Hleb is screwed.
May 29th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Kiwi@42
Don’t worry Kiwi, I enjoy challenges and it’s always good to exchange ideas even if we don’t always agree.
Responses to:
1. Unmitigaged reliance on RvP and Rosicky = negligence
I do not favor unmitigated reliance on RVP and Rosicky but do think we may have finally sorted out Rosicky’s problem with this recent surgery which was recommended by his national coach prior to last season. As with Clichy the previous two years, what are the odds that both RVP and Rosicky will on the injury list for most of the upcoming season. If we have good Physio’s they should be able to correct the problems. I also think we have cover in the midfield but probably could use another pure strike in casr of injury problems with Ade.
2. Nasri and Vela need a year (at least) at Arsenal before we place title-winning responsibility upon them.
Not meant to heap responsibility on the newbies but expect them to provide meaningful contributions, especially Nasri with his experience for France.
3. Walcott - juries out. For him to meaningfully contribute as first choice in a title winning side is expecting a massive improvement from the lad.
Again, not saying that Walcott will be first choice but cold easily be used against the lesser teams to rest players and can contributr off the bench to a greater extent than he did last season. Remember, Wenger will never play 2 natural wingers simultaneously unless we are behind in the latter stages of a game. Meaning, we probably will never see Vela and Walcott on the pitch at the same time.
4. Squad experience/maturity (23+ age range) is reaching the threadbare stage…
In this I agree wholeheartedly with you. We do need at least 2 new seasoned veterans to complement the kids and provide leadership. I have been trying to figure out when last a very young team has won trophies at the highest level and can’t recall.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:17 am
CaribKid I respect your views.
My measure is a re-run next season of the final stretch.
When we’re going toe to toe with the heavy-weight squads of ManU and Chelsea, and every game is a must win, and every team is desparate, and the weather is cold and the pitches are boggy, optimism won’t compensate if RvP and Rosicky are back in the treatment room, and Walcott, Vela and Nasri look like little boys totally out of their depth (like Walcott and Bendtner did during the Feb-May period).
At that stage the only thing that counts is having guys available who have the composure and nous to provide goals under extreme pressure. That’s what makes champions.
All that assumes that we can stay in the title race long enough to compete in the run-in. And that’s where the loss of experienced guys like Famini and Hleb doesn’t help either.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:39 am
I agree with Kiwi. Last season, the improvement in Arsenal was from a team tipped to be replaced by Spurs in the top 4 to a team which fought for the title but ultimately lost out. This season, the expected improvement is well, winning the title. A lot more difficult. Losing Flamini and Hleb does not help one bit.
I welcome the additions of Vela and Nasri. But we need more. I think we need a CB, a replacement for Flamini and another attacking option. Our aim this season is should not just be to fight for the title, but to win it.
The transfer window is long, but we need action. Arsene’s words of signing someone big in the next 2-3 weeks seems like ages ago. Once the Euros start, there will be less action, unless it is a player who is not at the Euros (preferably we want someone who is playing there). Once the Euros are done, there will be only a month before the pre-season starts. Before you know, the summer will have gone by in a flash.
Anybody know why the hell it is taking so long to sign Nasri?
May 30th, 2008 at 3:33 am
i think AW already fulfilled part of his word - Nasri on 12+ millions we can’t say it’s a small deal. at least by Arsenal’s standard, this is a major signing.
in fact, i think we are moving very quickly in the transfer market this summer, other big clubs haven’t made any signficant signings yet.
as for why it takes so long to sign Nasri? i don’t know, perhaps it’s because this is not Football Manager, where you can get the player you want in one or two weeks after making bids.
bare in mind a quality player will always weight up his own options before making a decision to sign for which club, or what to do next. it’s not like just a club throw in a bid, then everything will be done within days. The Transfer window ends in August, what’s the hurry? better buy carefully than rush into action.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:13 am
Let’s see where this is going to go.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=540901&cc=5739
May 30th, 2008 at 4:18 am
@Kiwi ….i think i’m going to rejoin the debate
I can understand your concern….but I still think you are underestimating the possible contributions from Walcott and Bendtner. There are times when you just have to trust your judgement that a player is good enough and will come good. Both Walcott and Bendtner did look out of their depth at times during last season..but then isn’t that what the learning process is all about? ….inspite of the limited starts last season…both of them did enough to make an impression.
In order to fully develop..they will have to be a part of the first team on a consistent basis….only then we will have an idea of whether they have it in them or not…case in point is Flamini. If what you are suggesting is that we should buy an experienced backup to cover for RVP and Rosicky’s potential injuries….then I think we can just as well say goodbye to Walcott and Bendtner. They are the back up for RVP and Rosicky and if you add some more names in front of them..they will never get their chance.
Wenger is no fool….and he will definetly sign 1-2 more players in the areas which need strengthening. If you look at things from a different perspective..with Nasri(fingers crossed) and Vela we have already had 2 signings this transfer season. However, most people refuse to see Vela in that light..simply because he was part of our youth setup and sent out on loan. You can say that both of them are young and can’t be dependent on them…..but there is no guarantee that an experienced guy will slot right in. look at Shevchenko and Ballack…or even Malouda for that matter.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:35 am
@josh# 51 …..Hope it doesn’t go anywhere. Simply because it’s ill considered. The problem is not nationalities..but the money available to the club.
He says the rule is important so that the ‘weaker’ teams get a chance to fight for the title. The only thing which will happen is that is clubs like Man Utd and Chelsea will corner all the best home talent by paying inflated transfer fees…whereas the others will be forced to play with sub-standard players. Atleast now other clubs have the opportunity to scout for players from other countries and get them to England. But if that rule is implemented…it will be very bad news for Club football as we know it.
If he really wants to help football…he has to think about the money angle..wtih transfer fees and wages.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:43 am
Obviously, Blatter wants to weaken club football and strengthen international games. That’s why this move. But EU has already opposed it.
May 30th, 2008 at 6:22 am
Hey whatever. Look at the evidence, do your analysis. It’s everyones right and all opinion at this stage.
If you think RvP and Rosicky will become durable - great.
And Walcott will go from crap to blinder - great.
And Nasri and Vela will defy normality and contribute quickly - great.
And the loss of Flamini and Hleb’s experience is irrelevant - great.
Wenger however operates in the land of reality. Where despite a sympathetic Board and a wonderful tenure, success is required, soon.
May 30th, 2008 at 6:55 am
Wenger heaped pressure on himself by stating that he will sign a big name in 2-3 weeks. I will happily wait till end Jul to see who we get on board. The window closes only in Aug but I think we need players in by pre-season to make the kind of start that we did last season. Maybe that’s just my opinion.
May 30th, 2008 at 9:25 am
arsenal904
STOP SHOUTING
May 30th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
saw that goal by denmark against holland..
bendtner showed excellent composure in the box…
i think this guy is gonna be brilliant next season….
so van Persie being fit can only be a bonus… coz we have got a more than decent cover for him.. even this season i thought his link up play was very good… he can see a pass … somewhat like fab can… or bergkamp could…
this could be his breakout season
May 30th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I think Bendtner and Walcott will be massive next season.
They both have the ingredients and this last season they served apprenticeship.
To be honest I dont see the difference between Anelka in 97/98 and Bendtner now. Anelka was just a bit fast but Bendtner has better technique and is more efficient in front of goal.
I was never sold on Walcott before but he has the ability to step up to the plate and take charge - and to me that is the most important pointer.
Lets pack the midfield with options and give ourself a proper CB or even GK.
But leave Bendy and Walcott alone.
They need space to grow.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Lovely, if the reports about Dudu’s progress are correct.
I know it’s a big if, but if he can make a full and speedy recovery that would be a huge fillip for our coming season.
He’s a natural finisher, and they don’t grow on trees. A fantastic option within the squad.
May 30th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Here is a video of Dudu’s rehabilitation… he is kicking a ball already, so I guess the reports are correct
http://video.globo.com/Videos/Player/Esportes/0,,GIM834024-7824-ASSISTA+COMO+ESTA+SENDO+A+RECUPERACAO+DO+ATACANTE+DO+ARSENAL+EDUARDO+DA+SILVA,00.html
May 31st, 2008 at 1:00 am
its a miracle of modern medicine that he is even making a recovery. 5-7 years ago the story would have been so different.
that said, i think it will be way too optimistic to rely on him for anything in the coming season.
May 31st, 2008 at 1:04 am
@Fred#59 ……Total agreement. Bendtner played really well in the last leg of the season. I hope i’m not speaking too soon…..but the change in his attitude has been remarkable. Hope whatever friction was there between him and the others will be sorted out before the next season starts. Plus, he will keep Adebayor on his toes.
Great news about Eduardo…..will be nice to see him back and playing regularly….though i think the mental issue will probably take some more time to sort itself out….but even if he is available just as an option it still is good news.
May 31st, 2008 at 1:49 am
If Dudu is fit…an can contribute 10 goals next season as 4th striker we dont need any more attacking players..for SURE.
@Sheed: Its in some funny language..that video? Spanish? Whats the gist of the video? Can you let us know?
May 31st, 2008 at 7:18 am
I don’t know LDE… I guess it’s Brazilian/Portuguese.
May 31st, 2008 at 8:15 am
In this 6+5 rule by FIFA, is a “home-grown” player expected be substituted by another “home-grown” player? If an English defender gets injured, the backup defender also needs to be English. The goalkeepers all will HAVE to be from the same group.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Its an absolutely stupid rule. Any kind of reservations in any strata of life is stupid - Same holds true in football as well. How does he expect quality to improve? Sub standard players equal to substandard overall quality = ENGLISH players playing with lesser quality players = lesser overall quality of play. The only people who might get benefited a bit are the substandard(relatively speaking) players who get to rub shoulders with the stars.
I’d like to know 1 thing though - What gives FIFA the right to say this? For that matter since all clubs are private entities by themselves all over the world shouldn’t football be just another private business without caps of any sort? Any payment problems should be handled legally. Free trade in any form - always benefits everyone concerned and improves quality and competition.
Of course though the weak will always disagree because they cant get to that level and this is a great thing for them..get something without deserving it. Ofcourse all that will be washed under the carpet under the guise of “promoting world football” when its probably just some vote grabbing exercise for some big money deal somewhere.
Before that happens I hope all the great coaches quit and refuse to work with the stupid rules. What next then? A minimum of 5 non playing staff must be English??? Ridiculous.
May 31st, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Misc. Ramblings:
http://arsenalanalysis.blogspot.com/2008/05/eduardo-surprised-with-speed-of.html
Another link that shows the amazing recovery of Eduardo. Forget Mario Gomez. He IS not even in Dudu’s zip code (postal zone).
Great suggestion from a commenter that we should hire Runco, the Brazilian physio who is clearly the best in the world. Remember he got Ronaldo back after the AC Milan’s medical staff botched his diagnosis and treatment.
The British tabloids spread the lie about the Taylor “apology” to deflect the criticism of the English “get stuck in” mentality thats at the core of the problem.
Alex McLeish hopes to maintain the “special relationship” that Birmingham City had w/ Arsenal to get some loan players for the promotion push. I’m sorry Alex but your name is not Steve Bruce and your “special relationship” is now at Wigan. Arsenal will not even loan you a ball boy.
Many pundits are favoring Germany for Euro2008. Here’s a newsflash, Germany has no defense and cannot win. Belarus scored 2 and Serbia are tied 1-1 because Germany have big, slow CBs that remind me of Senderos (a gratuitous shot, I know). Italy and France are the teams to beat. If Eduardo was playing, I’d also pick Croatia to have a shot.
Vidic has got to be the best CB in the world today.
Nice to see other clubs having their players tapped up by the evil empire Real Madrid.
Hleb is going where? No where. Now tuck that tail between your legs, gelato boy.
Remember this name, Govinco, the future Italian no.10.
May 31st, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Hleb to Barca for CASH and YAYA.
I’ll drive him to the airport.
May 31st, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I think this Toure swap with Hleb is just a story made up by the press. I highly doubt Wenger will go for Yaya. He has seen Toure Jnr multiple times and passed on him every single time. Another thing to consider is that it adds one more player to the “we lose him to the ACN” bucket. I don’t think I want any more Africans.
May 31st, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Barca bought Yaya for just 10 mill euros about 6 million pounds and the year before Monaco paid just about 2 million pounds for him - after he vowed not to go back to olympiakos.
2 million and 6 million are very low prices - plus he spent a few weeks with us on trial - yet wenger paid those sums for Diarra and Sagna! Means Yaya doesnt interest Wenger at all.
May 31st, 2008 at 11:13 pm
This new 5+6 ruling means - English clubs can every much kiss the CL goodbye.
if i were a Chelsea fan i would be worrying. will Roman A. be interested to continue investing in a club that may not have the chance to win the CL?
the preception is it would affect Arsenal most. but the way i see it, it’s the other way around - as even if it gets the green light and go ahead, it won’t start until 2013, 5 years from now. by then most of Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool’s English players would most likely be retired or close to.
so they will have to start collecting the next big young thing now. but who? David Bentley? The best of the lot is at Arsenal. Walcott will still be under 25 by 2013.
the only winner come out of it will be the English players. their price will go rocket high. and many of them will be among the football world’s top earners which i m pretty sure.
that’s what FIFA does - inventing 1000 new ideas to kill the game.
June 1st, 2008 at 11:18 am
Not player talk, but I still think it is appropriate for this thread. An article on Football 365 is stating that AW plans to leave Arsenal in three years time to return to his native France. It is claiming he intends to become club president at PSG.
http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_3635737,00.html
June 1st, 2008 at 1:41 pm
I don’t want Toure here either. I used to fancy him being an Arsenal player but he’s gotten too big and too slow for a CM. Sol was a big man but he had pace and quickness. Toure makes Senderos look agile. Besides, he’s got an ongoing groin injury. I’d pass.
I also agree with you on Germany, nipuna. Their defense continually left Lehmann exposed. I wrote after the game against Belarus that they’d be lucky to get out of the group stage with that kind of form. They were lucky to beat Serbia last night as the guy in the wall moved like an idiot on Ballack’s free kick.
I told everyone that Flamini would leave and Hleb wouldn’t. The jury’s still out on Hleb but Wenger’s hardly interested in selling him. More importantly, Wenger doesn’t have to sell him. Hleb’s not going to cause the trouble that Diarra did and he wants to play good football. The guy’s a respectful professional footballer.
With Rosicky’s injury looking to be behind him, we could really challenge this year. We just have to replace Lehmann and Flamini. Eduardo’s getting fit again and hopefully we’ll have a certain Dutchman fit again and doing what he’s good at. We’ve also added Vela while Walcott, Song, and Bendtner have gotten their feet wet. The only thing we lacked last year was cover for Rosicky and we’ve got that now with Nasri. If we hit the ground running like last season then it’s curtains for the rest of the league.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:21 pm
yall might not want Yaya… but you’re gonna get him anyway!
