Let me start by saying I rate Gallas and I like him but enough is enough, so here’s my proposal Arsene.
Gallas shouldn’t resign, he should be sacked as captain because regardless of where he stands, he brought the team into disrepute and that for a captain of Arsenal football club is unforgivable and unacceptable.
You can’t give it to Kolo, regardless of how much he is liked because he’s not really a first choice anymore and he goes to the ACN every two years, so sorry but that’s not good enough.
Don’t give it to Gael because he is French and I think it’s time for a change, so for me it has to be Alexandre Song, he has the lot and he was signed on the basis of exceptional talent.
Of course I’m f**king kidding. Give it to Cesc, it may keep him, it will certainly fire him up, he is great with the press and stops rumours in their tracks, f*ck the age, if he’s good enough, he’s old enough.
Now we’ve done that to death let’s move onto the big game today, jeez, it’s been a long wait, always of course made longer by a defeat, we got beat, there’s nothing we can do so let’s move on and put it right, by now Gallas may have been dropped so I’m going for a team without him, if he plays drop Kolo and put him in his place, so from the back.
Fabianski, as Almunia was shit last time and the time before the time before that, work that one out and you’ll know what’s coming next.
Hoyte Djourou Kolo Clichy
Ramsey Diaby Denilson Nasri
Ade RVP
Go for the jugular because this lot will, Robinho will want to show Wenger what he could have had, had he offered him more than 17 shillings and sixpence a week a few years ago, but Real got him instead.
They will not sit back, and I can’t see them mixing it, I think they like to play football, so attack boys, attack.
To finish on Gallas, he has said that if he leaves Arsenal it will be to go back to France, but only to PSG, Bordeaux or Marseilles and who do we know that plays at Marseilles? Spot on, Cana, so why not a little player plus cash deal and now, in January, whilst Gallas is still in his prime? That’s win, win then is it not? we get rid of the awkward issue with Gallas, we get in the animal we all crave, he’s not French and Wenger doesn’t lose face by backing down, and we’ll throw in Alexandre Song as part of the deal as he has exception talent, how can they refuse?
The thing is the minute he takes away the captaincy is the moment the player can no longer play for us and that’s why he didn’t do it last summer, Gallas has a few years left in him but with the emergence of Djourou and maybe even the improvement of Senderos next season, he can at last afford to let him go, bringing in a Cana or a Velosa gives Wenger options, gives us the much needed steel with lost with Flamini’s departure and gets rid of the disruptive influence in the changing room, whoever is at fault, and I take no sides, something is wrong and something needs to be done.
November 22, 2008 at 9:02 am
1
November 22, 2008 at 9:03 am
2nd
November 22, 2008 at 9:03 am
missed by a secod or two….
November 22, 2008 at 9:04 am
3rd?
November 22, 2008 at 9:04 am
That’s like not winning the EPL Rookie, second gets you nothing!
November 22, 2008 at 9:05 am
aren’t kolo and ade both out according to most reports??
November 22, 2008 at 9:06 am
Good riddance to him. He should have been sacked after Birmingham.
November 22, 2008 at 9:06 am
Ade maybe because of his long flight.
November 22, 2008 at 9:07 am
Ade has apparently re-injured his ankle.
November 22, 2008 at 9:07 am
spot on Geoff and he has been striped off captaincy probably the only right decision Arsene has taken this year….
November 22, 2008 at 9:08 am
ahh ok, lineup seems pretty spot on then, mebe play rambo more central and RVP as a right winger.
November 22, 2008 at 9:09 am
i will deflower the comments section one day…lols…
November 22, 2008 at 9:09 am
if Ade is not fit, i’d go for Either Simpson to play next to RVP, or Wilshere to come in on the left and play Nasri just off RVP, after last weeks performance Bendtner shouldn’t start
November 22, 2008 at 9:09 am
I thought kolo was definately injured. Maybe I misheard.
November 22, 2008 at 9:10 am
I don’t understand why Wenger hasn’t made a statement, every national newspaper now says he been tin tacked, what is it with Arsenal?
November 22, 2008 at 9:11 am
great article geoff, i was really impresed when i read it!
November 22, 2008 at 9:11 am
Yeah, kolo has a calf injury.
Good Post tho
November 22, 2008 at 9:12 am
Geoff
Why does wenger have to go public. Keep those media pricks guessing now. its none of their business anyway.
November 22, 2008 at 9:12 am
even sky sports showed the video of team getting Off the bus and there was no Gallas….
may be he wants to wait until after the game Geoff…
November 22, 2008 at 9:12 am
morning alll….
kolo is out.. not in the squad
November 22, 2008 at 9:12 am
Thanks boys, let’s hope it comes true eh!
November 22, 2008 at 9:13 am
Yep top post Geoff. I love it, on match day
November 22, 2008 at 9:13 am
Out of respect for us Gnarley, we have the right to know.
November 22, 2008 at 9:14 am
hoyte dj silvest clichy
simpson denilson diaby nasri
rvp nicklasss
November 22, 2008 at 9:15 am
Simpson’s not a midfielder Choy.
November 22, 2008 at 9:15 am
you got my vote cesc to lead us to glory.
we’re gonna stuff citeh!
November 22, 2008 at 9:15 am
True Geoff, true. But i think we all have a pretty good idea Chamoneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!
November 22, 2008 at 9:16 am
he played there the whole of last season on loan geoff!!!
November 22, 2008 at 9:17 am
Geoff goonertalk has given the following line up as officia
lAlmunia
Hoyte - Djourou - Silvestre - Clichy
Diaby - Denilson - Song - Nasri
Bendtner - van Persie
Subs:
Fabianski, Gibbs, Lansbury, Wilshere, Ramsey, Vela, Simpson
Young guns and Arseblog has also confirmed that he has been sacked and hoyte and lansbury have been included through reliable sources..
November 22, 2008 at 9:17 am
Geoff not only respect but we pay the wages.Time for all of us to get behind the team more than ever,even if the team is in disarray.We must unite
November 22, 2008 at 9:17 am
Cesc for me, its as if it was meant to be. If Wenger is serious about bringing a new crop through, the natural leafer is a 21 year old called Cesc. Generation Y is good afterall D:
Hands up, if you love Arsene, Hands up if you love Arsene
November 22, 2008 at 9:18 am
*leader sorry, got a bit excited there
November 22, 2008 at 9:18 am
who does everyone think should be captain for todays game? my vote goes to Clichy, seeing as Cesc is injured, and Fabianksi should start instead of Almunia
November 22, 2008 at 9:19 am
I can’t wait for the game to start
November 22, 2008 at 9:20 am
* suspended
November 22, 2008 at 9:22 am
Rookie, I’d go along with that line up except.
I’d stick ramsey on the right, put diaby in the middle and drop song.
November 22, 2008 at 9:25 am
may be he has put song in due to a bit inexperience in the defense and he will play as cover for defense
November 22, 2008 at 9:28 am
Morning Grovers!
So has it been officially announced yet?
Good post Geoff… I would prefer us to swap him for Chiliieni, because I am sure he wanted to play in Italy before we nicked him.
So… what are people predicting today score wise?
November 22, 2008 at 9:29 am
I think it could be quite a high scoring match. I reckon it’ll be the same sort of game as the manure one. They can’t defend, we can’t defend, lets go for the fuckers.
By the way, I hate mark hughes.
November 22, 2008 at 9:29 am
Pedro if he can swap him for chielini it would be getting gold for shit….
November 22, 2008 at 9:29 am
2-4 Pedro
November 22, 2008 at 9:30 am
4 nil, morning Pedro, make Clichy captain for the day and vice captain for the season, ship Gallas and Song out to Marseille and bring in Cana.
No it’s not official but did you expect that from Arsenal?
November 22, 2008 at 9:32 am
I know vela has had a hell of a long flight but he only played half an hour in midweek cos he got sent off.
November 22, 2008 at 9:33 am
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=594795&sec=england&cc=3436
Thats official for me. i rate ESPN Soccernet
November 22, 2008 at 9:34 am
paul was’nt that at the end of the match????
November 22, 2008 at 9:34 am
On arsenal tv last night they said 31 mins.
November 22, 2008 at 9:35 am
morning all….are we going to win?
November 22, 2008 at 9:36 am
The captaincy could rekindle the “fire & brimstone’ back into to Cesc. It goes without saying that Tony Adams was 21 years old when he grabbed the armband
November 22, 2008 at 9:36 am
Vela only came off the bench for mexico i think
November 22, 2008 at 9:38 am
Maybe vela came off the bench played 31 mins then got sent off near the end. I presumed they meant he started then got sent off.
Anyway, he had quite an easy game. It’s just the flight really.
November 22, 2008 at 9:39 am
Evening evo
I ‘m not sure to be honest. My bet is a draw, but we won’t lose. That doesn’t sound like a truely loyal call i know, but I think we will win long term
“we may not win the battle, but we will win the war”
November 22, 2008 at 9:39 am
great post geoff. Arsenal.com havent put anything up about it shock!!!! how shite is that site… they are probably waiting for wenger to make a statement. but why he hasnt made a statement to let the fans know what is going on i dont know…..
November 22, 2008 at 9:39 am
as far as i ve heard he got sent off at the end of the match a challenge which did not deserve sending off but the poor condition of the pitch and coupled with the player pretending as if he was shot it made difficult for ref to spare him….vela looked surprised when he saw red…
November 22, 2008 at 9:40 am
Geoff, I’d like to see Clichy made captainl… oh, Perry Groves agrees with us!
He is rarely injured, leads by example and he is one of the best in the world in his position.
+ I saw him bollock Ade the other day… and someone needs to!
He is Arsenal through and through!
November 22, 2008 at 9:40 am
The Cana swap scenario for Gallas, etc in january would be a ripper
November 22, 2008 at 9:42 am
Thanks for clearing that up rookie.
November 22, 2008 at 9:43 am
Great post Geoff - and couldnt agree more
My team would be
Almunia ( only becuase i think gallas has pissed him off recently and he could be back to his best )
Hoyte JD Silvestre Clichy
Nasri Diaby Denilson Ramsey
RvP Ade ( if Ade injured, Nik/Vela/Simpson)
I know I rattled on yesterday about Gallas, but I really feel that he been the bad apple. The cause of the dodgy performances by Cesc Kolo Theo, Almunia and RvP - yes, all the non french players. Today is when our season really begins, and the players are now free of that whinging old git.
Gallas mate Claude is also at PSG, so I think he will off in January, and on gardening leave until then.
Gallas can NOT play another game for us, remember, he threatened to score an own goal for chelsea, i didnt really believe that then, but i sure as heck do now, having seen his juvinille behaviour…
1 - 3 for me, and i cant wait
November 22, 2008 at 9:43 am
id bet happy with Cesc, Almunia or clichy!
so the same old routine continues…..saturday….head to the pub….come home…..if we’ve lost the week before….swear i wont watch this weeks game.
pressure builds….a few beers and i watch the game!
i wonder if that will happen….so far on course!
November 22, 2008 at 9:44 am
Pedro, he’s French and I am fed up with French captains, we’ve had three already.
Ripper would be ripper Gnarley!
November 22, 2008 at 9:44 am
Great, Song is starting. He is the new Eboue, and you see him starting and think ‘we’re not gonna win this game’. There’s obviously ability there, so he’s gotta be walking down last chance avenue: he has to step up and show us he deserves to wear the shirt
So what for Gallas: fined two week’s wages, left out the squad and stripped of the captaincy. Considering the manager’s previous indulgence of him, poor form, poor behavious and his ‘motivational’ rants (’member that one before the Liverpool game in the CL?), it seems like an over-reaction. For all his finger-pointing, for me he has been the negative influence in the dressing room and that has been discussed on here before. I think this effectively ends his Arsenal career and I expect him to go in January. He’ll have to take a pay cut to do it, unless Man City buy him (who supposedly are after Kolo). Maybe we can get Richards in return, who is having a poor season but may rediscover his England form playing in the red and white of his beloved Arsenal.
Or maybe not.
It’s been one hell of an ugly season to watch so far for us. We’ve lurched from great moments of sublime football, when the AKBs came jabbing us with their told-you-so fingers, to amateur hour at the Hackney Empire, with our soft underbelly brutally exposed, when we jabb back with greater vigour. I think everything that has been discussed on this blog from the end of last season and all over the summer has been entirely justified and those that directed such malice and abuse towards us and the author’s, Pedro and Geoff, should hang their heads in shame.
Thing is, as much as we love Wenger and what he has done for the club, his judgement seems badly flawed. His transfer policy has become idiosyncratic and stubborn: he seems determined to build these flimsy teams and is very poor at recruiting players with steel and mental strength. His teams do give delight, but with no end product he has to face facts and buy some nutters (not Gallas nutters, but Paddy/Roy Keane nutters). The ‘98 side was as tough as old boots, and the 2004 side would mix it with the best. Those sort of teams win things, the latest incarnations don’t and won’t unless something changes.
Sorry for the extended rant: been away and haven’t had chance to post so you get about a week’s worth of thoughts
November 22, 2008 at 9:47 am
Alexandre Song as Captian hahahaha, that one got me good.
give it to Cesc. it seems like the only option in all honesty
November 22, 2008 at 9:47 am
I think we will hear from AFC after the game today - he wont want millions of questions when we have an away game - he will want to spend what precious time he has raising the morale of the players, not that should take very long now -
November 22, 2008 at 9:48 am
Two players down, Walcott long term injury, Gallas because he clearly doesn’t want to play for Arsenal anymore. We NEED two more players in the transfer window. In fact 3 because we cannot expect Rosicky to recover to schedule, if he does, we’ll have a surplus player in summer, better than being short.
Michael P reckons the club is already on the case, the sooner the better.
We’re down to the bare bones now, so who could start today?
Song at right back? Hopefully Gavin Hoyte, we don’t have any other options.
—————–Almunia—————-
G.Hoyte——-Djourou———-Silvestre———-Clichy
Wilshere/Nasri——–Ramsey/Song/DenilsonDiaby——–Ramsey/Song/DenilsonDiaby———-Nasri/Denilson/Diaby/Vela
———–RVP——–Adebayor———
Who will play on one of the wings?
Worst case scenario midfield, Diaby/Denilson on left wing and Song in the middle.
We can still win this one, I’ll go for a 2-1 away win, their defence is sloppy, worse than ours. I don’t think Dunne or Kompany would have sorted our defence out, we need someone better than them.
The good thing is, Wenger now accepts that stop gap players are OK if we get them on the cheap, Silvestre being the one who changed the situation. At 30 or 31 there is still room to offer fully fit veteran players two year contracts.
November 22, 2008 at 9:50 am
i highly predict it will be Song at CB and Toure at RB
November 22, 2008 at 9:53 am
Toure is not available to play today.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/calf-strain-to-sideline-toure-for-man-city
November 22, 2008 at 9:54 am
Gallas made these comments thursday lunchtime he is supposed to have been stripped of the captaincy and dropped for todays match.
Why the fuck has Arsene Wenger made no official comment, nothing on Arsenal.com Just pure speculation which Man City will be rubbing their hands thinking we are there for the taking.
I have no problem with Gallas comments I read the article and agreed with them. As I mentioned he told us the truth.
Maybe Arsene, The Board and the rest of the players can’t handle that.
November 22, 2008 at 9:56 am
Well said Jimmy, thing is Wenger has made Galas captain, seen his fuck ups and now needs to put his hands up, he screwed up, go and buy 2 players in the window, Cana for me and Richards for the centre back.
No Song though, he’s not good enough, you got it wrong making Gallas captain, don’t keep getting it wrong with Song, everyone can see he’s not good enough.
November 22, 2008 at 9:58 am
Al it wasn’t whether or not he was right, he shouldn’t have said it in public. That was wrong.
November 22, 2008 at 9:58 am
Nice post,straight to the point geoff. a few questions.what nationality is cana.
if nasri had a go at gallas at the euros,and nic and ade had a bust up at spurs nearly ten months ago,why hasn’t this been revolved by now.apparently theo and rvp got a bollocking by gallas at half time against spurs a few weeks ago.a captain is meant to be the mouthpiece of the manager on the field.too many arrogant egoistic players to control can’t be good for morale if there is any.gallas on 9ok,Ade on 85k and now RVP wants 80K.madness sheer madness.
today i would expect almunia to be captain as a one off,and I would like to see simpson,randall wilshere and ramsey at least feature.
November 22, 2008 at 9:59 am
oh well fly nigel winterburn and TA into replace sagna and kolo and we should be fine. or Senderos….
November 22, 2008 at 10:00 am
Why did he say these things to the press and not to them? Why do they have to hear his comments second hand? That’s the issue with Gallas.
As captain he disclosed that he is unable to rally the troops, and he is not prepared to stand up for his team in the face of criticism, he is completely unsuitable, the vast majority of Premier League viewers are surprised that it has taken so long to replace Gallas as captain.
November 22, 2008 at 10:05 am
the arm band has been nothing other than a curse !
giving it to cesc could be a double edged sword ..
however thats probably what management will do to try and keep hold of him
i feel its a mistake but then who else can you give it too ?
maybe almunia ? it might give him the extra 15 % he needs to become reasonable ..
or maybe give it too theo’s mate RVP !
November 22, 2008 at 10:07 am
finest - that is the crux of all this - feel free to have your opinion, but keep it in house, not in the press - he has been a disgrace to our club, MOTD Talksport and all those other idiots will just love all this - Bastards! (sorry)
November 22, 2008 at 10:08 am
It didn’t do Tony or Paddy any harm, I think it will inspire Cesc and lift the team, but he has to let Gallas go and he needs to replace him.
Cana is Albanian Kelsey.
November 22, 2008 at 10:10 am
The captaincy has to go to Kolo Toure.
People will say that he has not been performing this season - and rightly so. But how much of this loss of form is attributed to:
a) the Toure-Gallas partnership not working
b) Toure being unhappy
Over the past 5 years, Toure has been our most consistent performer, one of the 1st players on the team sheet and no one can question his passion. He has been dropped from the team because he had to drop one of Toure or Gallas - an the captain cannot be dropped.
Almunia is a keeper - I think it was Liam Brady that said GKs are not suitable to lead a team - I agree with him.
The rest of them (namely Fabregas and Clichy) are not ready in my opinion.
Get Kolo back in the team, give him the armband and he will lead the team to success.
PS. Forget Alberto Mendez, Francis Jeffers, Richard Wright and Igors Stepanovs - Wenger’s biggest regret must be William Gallas.
November 22, 2008 at 10:13 am
My biggest Wenger regret is still here, Alex Song. Kolo is not even first choice any more Dr Gooner, you can’t make someone captain if there not first on the teamsheet.
November 22, 2008 at 10:13 am
fuck cesc couldnt even run his own tv show ..
he looked like a spectator on a show that bared his name !
sorry but if you cant even voice your own opinion on your own tv show , i think it will be a disaster n the making .
Also how old was paddy and adams when they wore the armband geoff ?
he is still in footballing nappies .. oh .. shit …
the season couldnt get any worse anyhow !
might as well give it too him …
November 22, 2008 at 10:14 am
Dr Gooner
nothing can be more worse then Igors Stepanovs. sorry,
November 22, 2008 at 10:14 am
Ethan Adams was 21!
November 22, 2008 at 10:15 am
so do we reckon Gallas refused to travel or Wenger banned him?
November 22, 2008 at 10:15 am
Stepanovs was awesome!
November 22, 2008 at 10:15 am
Sky reporting Gallas arrives at training ground,not sure what that means though
November 22, 2008 at 10:16 am
I dont think letting gallas go will be the issue !
im sure gallas has had enough , and too me that represents how harder job it is too do
with these young head strong lads !
good luck cesc, your gonna fuckin need it !
November 22, 2008 at 10:18 am
i reckon gallas could start perhaps….there’s no one else really
November 22, 2008 at 10:19 am
maybe JD…
November 22, 2008 at 10:20 am
CHIM CHIMINEE CHIM CHIMINEE CHIM CHIM CHEROO
FUCK OFF BILLY GALLAS COS WE’VE GOT DJOUROU
November 22, 2008 at 10:20 am
paul
it means Sky are clutching onto straws in terms of trying to keep the story alive.
—-
Evo in Oz
Stepanovs was awesomely Dreadful
November 22, 2008 at 10:21 am
Doublegooner
HAHAHAHAHA that one is a excellent. im going to sing that on Tuesday
November 22, 2008 at 10:22 am
I was thinking that as well Evo, if he drops him today he might as well not play him for the rest of the season.
November 22, 2008 at 10:24 am
double gooner - great song mate, ive just copied that into my mobile
November 22, 2008 at 10:25 am
luzhny was good too
November 22, 2008 at 10:27 am
Geoff unless we strengthen this side the captaincy would be a curse
November 22, 2008 at 10:28 am
Neil is Gay
November 22, 2008 at 10:29 am
If its true Gallas is out the back door I believe we are gona miss him BIG TIME and our chance of winning anything (CL) has now ended. He has been outstanding & its the flamini roll we are missing out on. I dont agree with what Gallas has done if its true but this is bad for our club believe me.
The fact that some of you maybe laughing this story off, u wont laugh be laughing much longer im sure.
November 22, 2008 at 10:30 am
until gallas started scoring those headers for us we had zero goals from defence. none.nada
November 22, 2008 at 10:31 am
My take is the team is all young, Cesc is a father figure, middle aged and I think the team would respond to him in a big way, and he will too.
All this billy big bollocks talk of youngsters showing respect, fuck off, that was why they all hated Henry, that attitude is like Victorian parent, the only people I ever respected were people that were as good as me, not because they were older.
November 22, 2008 at 10:34 am
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=sGQESu5AFtI
November 22, 2008 at 10:35 am
STEVIE:
Did you actually want us to keep him after this ??
November 22, 2008 at 10:37 am
this just goes to prove how badly run our club is
November 22, 2008 at 10:37 am
Expect more barren years
November 22, 2008 at 10:39 am
History Repeats Itself? (First as a tragedy, then as a farce?)
In November, the team’s season was apparently already in the toilet. There were numerous injuries to key players, and they had just come off a humiliating league defeat. The team was apparently facing another trophyless season; if it ended up that way, it would make for the longest run without silverware in years. That was when the captain decided to mouth off–not just once, but twice. He criticized teammates by name, including the ones who “think” they’re “superstars” because of their high wages, but don’t put in consistent effort. Almost as an aside, the captain also talked about moving on to a new club once his current contract ran out.
At that point, the manager who had placed such trust in the captain couldn’t take any more. Within two weeks of stripping him of his captaincy, the club reached an agreement with the player to dissolve his contract.
Despite the club’s shock elimination from the Champion’s League before the end of the group stages (defeated by a Portuguese club), they went on to win the League Cup, thus avoiding two successive years without a trophy for the first time in 17 campaigns. This was followed by back-to-back league titles in 2006/7 and 2007/8.
After they dissolved the captain’s contract that autumn, the manager and chief executive wished the player well and agreed to hold a testimonial for him at the end of the season. With all proceeds going to the Guide Dogs Association, it was the highest-attended such match in English history.
What odds from William Hill for a Gallas testimonial at the Emirates next May?
November 22, 2008 at 10:39 am
Doublegooner, all i know is from what Ive read in the paper….i tend to take the paper with a pinch of salt but if this IS true then yer he dont have much choice i guess.
November 22, 2008 at 10:40 am
Dg - love that little ‘Song’
ethan - i have to disagree re cesc - having your own footie show is very different, he was out of his comfort zone, football is his life, and his love, and at the moment he loves Arsenal. And i know i keep repeating myself, but if Lttle Willy (no longer a big willy
) has been having a pop at all the players, then i am not surprised at the way we have performed so far this season.
honestly, I feel that tonne of bricks that has been on all the teams shoulders has suddenly been removed, and i hope freedon comes back into our game. That includes Cesc. I think giving him the armband would get his game back, his head back in tune… For me he is the next captain with kolo or almunia as his miami vice
November 22, 2008 at 10:40 am
I’d love to see Cesc as our Captain. No matter what anyone says, he’s a great player, and can really grab the game by the horns and make us a dominant force again.
I thought Gallas was great, but he is to coin a phrase ‘the king of inconsistancy’
But this situation will force Wenger’s hand, we now HAVE to by in January. It’s just a case of who, and how many : )
Can’t wait for the game today!
Good Old Arsenal! We’re Proud to sing that name!!!
November 22, 2008 at 10:41 am
Maybe what Michael p heard was right about the xtra ordinary meting last sunday about signing 3 new experienced players,as obviously the gallas tantrums were known about within the club.
i think the player who clashes most with gallas is adebayor,he ticks all the right boxes,ok he is nearly 25.
November 22, 2008 at 10:42 am
stevie - i believe the opposite to your views, no offence. I think we now have a chance of doing well. BUT that is if we get the right players in January, and MP’s tip off is starting to sound very promising….
November 22, 2008 at 10:43 am
Gallas at the Training ground then, maybe AFC will terminate his contract and he can go to PSG - dont know if that is legal though in footie
November 22, 2008 at 10:43 am
actually, I would like to hear the truth rather than ‘the team are united’ ‘morale is high’ from arsene
November 22, 2008 at 10:45 am
I dont care who the next captain to be honest. i want to see us lift the prem league or CL trophy. i doubt its gonna happen tis season. its sad
November 22, 2008 at 10:46 am
Welcome Wangdangdoodle! Rico you can do loan deal at anytime. No window there.
November 22, 2008 at 10:48 am
I know the Sun newspaper is not to be trusted, but they report a bust up with Nik and Gallas - so all you Nik lovers, that could be the reason for his downward spiral too
November 22, 2008 at 10:49 am
Geoff - Can AFC sack him, reports are that he has been told he wont play again ?
November 22, 2008 at 10:50 am
Geoff good post and totally agree with your 10.31 post, football is not about respecting your elders, it is about being a team and being loyal to each other, regardless of age. WG was not loyal to his teammates, he threw a hissy fit at regular intervals. But he is gone to all intents and purposes so I’m moving on.
Cesc as captain - inspirational maybe, mentally strong enough? He has shown another battling side to his game at times this season, but has also not always been on form… the captaincy might be a bit early for him. I don’t agree with all that using the captaincy as bait crap.
Clichy - I like him a lot, I have a lot of time for him, his comments to the media have always been far more worthy of a captain than anyone elses. Bad position on the pitch for a captain, but not impossible. I think he would rise to the challenge especially without the stropmeister alongside him.
Almunia - Well liked by the team, has shown some good form this season, I wouldn’t like him as the long term option but I think he would be a good stop-gap solution. It would also make him stand a couple of inches taller and I think he would grab the chance with both hands.
Ade - too stupid
Van P - too injured/psychotic
Rosicky - too institutionalised
Sylvestre - too fishy/manc
Eboue - actually….. no I’d better not go there
November 22, 2008 at 10:52 am
Morning Seb - we finally disagree, re cesc- tee hee
November 22, 2008 at 10:55 am
At least Gallas was honest not like a lot of the cowards at Arsenal … it’s no good telling us there’s a great team spirit and they are all together when it has been apparant for months there are big heads in the club that hate each other and don’t gel as a team. Geoff …getting rid of Gallas won’t get rid of the disrtuptive element in the dressing room they will remain cos their Arsene’s favourites.
November 22, 2008 at 10:55 am
At last his big mouth has got him sacked. Mind you it is the only way Arsene would have dropped him. As most blogs will know I have been absolutely against his signing then his captaincy, and sadly he has been allowed to ruin a potentially great team. I am not going to list ALL the games where he was 100% responsible for us suddenly falling behind when outplaying a lesser side but the points alone would have won us the title easily last season. So bloody good riddens.
Now Arsene we need, deserve and want some major changes….ie; carry on in a big way the UK buys like Ramsey. Do not allow the odd million £ to be used as an excuse to lose out. West Ham are in a mess go and buy Collinson….Buy as many of the young Welsh side you can.
The sell the overrated players we have..ie; Eboue, Gallas, Almunia, Bentner, and Traore…..with this money you could bring in a real centre back…..a UK Goalie….and bust the bank for Delph. There you go easy! Mind you unlike the pillock above….I think Song is to make it…….lets see.
November 22, 2008 at 10:55 am
Rico yes he can be sacked, but they’d have to pay him, the easiest thing is to say, you won’t play for us again and loan him out, we’d have to pay half his wages though as no French team could afford his £90k a week, which makes Galla’s point that the kids are money mad a fucking joke, what and he’s not???
Cheers Seb.
November 22, 2008 at 10:56 am
I am a bit torn on the Captaincy,
Part of me says give it Cesc,
But despite Toure’s poor form, I think he may get back to his best if he is allowed to build a partnership with Djourou. I think a lot of Toure’s poor form has been down to him being too similar to Gallas and when both were fit neither seemed to be droppable.
Get in Yaya, Barry or Cana in Jan and we are looking pretty good.
And get rid of the other trouble maker RVP in Jan and get in Huntelaar or Villa and we are looking very very good.
I know we have been in transition or at least it seems like it for 3 years, but lets make sure this is the last one, root out the bad and build some harmony and team spirit, and get the boys enjoying their football again.
November 22, 2008 at 10:57 am
pete - who’s the pillock, Gallas ?
November 22, 2008 at 10:57 am
Well there is no doubt in my mind that Wenger is going to play Song and it will give us IMO a real chance to see if the West Ham game was a fluke or if he really is as bad as many people on this site believe. Although, I add the previso that if Wenger plays him at right back I will write tomorrow’s head line “Song is shit and should be sold” I just hope that people are a little more objective if he plays at DM.
———-Almunia
Hoyte,Djourou,Sylvestre,Clichy
———–Song
——Denilson,Diaby
—-RVP,Bentner,Nasri
This is assuming that Adebayor and Vela aren’t fit to start. Almunia will be captain today.
This is still a very good team: more than capable of beating City
November 22, 2008 at 10:57 am
rico01 You dont agree Gallas has been outstanding for us? You dont believe we are gona miss his talent ON the pitch(not his outbursts off it)? And by the way getting the right players in january is all too late im afraid we will will be out of the premiership challenge like we practically are ALREADY. Recently I thought our best chance of winning something big would be CL cos the style suits us & we currently play like a cup side (liverpool of old when they won it), but now i doubt that….look at the rest od the big team’s captains, they are stong characters with experience, Gallas was our version of that.
November 22, 2008 at 10:58 am
Thanks Geoff, I had hoped they could, and i hope they will. Maybe thats why he is at the training ground…
November 22, 2008 at 10:58 am
Mark Cesc, RVP and most of the young players always say the spirit is great, it’s only Gallas that seems to have a problem.
Song should be sold with a number of average players in the window.
Oh and sell Song too.
November 22, 2008 at 10:59 am
I think letting someone else be the captain that Gallas is a step ion the right way.
I have never thought much of him as an captain..he simply doesnt inspire the people…
he rather slag them off and moan.
I would be really happy if he didnt play again for us
JD ur time has come to show what you are made off..
On the new captain..I reckon it will be Cech
still a worrying thing,i dont see any real leader that can get the team going,while its not going our way
lets face it no Adams/Vieira types in this squad
November 22, 2008 at 10:59 am
Haha rico, well I’m just not convinced at the moment, he has been such a battler and a fighter for the cause in the past, but I would need a few games in the post-WG era to see whether his mood and form improves drastically, or whether he is in fact pining for Barca and his old chum Hleb. Only then would you know if he is up to the task of leading our merry band of babies
November 22, 2008 at 11:00 am
stevie - in a word, No
JD has mor speed than Gallas, and played alongside Silvestre or Kolo, i honestly think the defence will be more organised and confident
November 22, 2008 at 11:01 am
Fair comment Seb - i have a cunning feeling that he will soon be back to his old self
November 22, 2008 at 11:02 am
I bet Sylvestre is gutted about his international partner… I bet he only came to London for a two year jolly with Billy. That and the better weather
November 22, 2008 at 11:03 am
Is it a coincedence that two of our worst ever captains Henry and Gallas have come at a point when our team has been 3rd and 4th best in the league?
November 22, 2008 at 11:03 am
rico I hope you are right! Nothing would give me greater pleasure, especially once Eduardo is back, we will rock then….
Cesc - through ball
Eduardo - goal
Cesc - through ball
Eduardo - goal
repeat for 90 minutes
November 22, 2008 at 11:04 am
What has RvP done to be a trouble maker pat, i have obviously missed that
November 22, 2008 at 11:04 am
i.e. in the wenger era
November 22, 2008 at 11:05 am
Seb - music to my ears, not my singing though
November 22, 2008 at 11:06 am
Seb - little willg has slated the french team too, so i guess he wont be playing for them now either
November 22, 2008 at 11:07 am
im going for a lie down prior to the game. laters
November 22, 2008 at 11:08 am
I dont get wrong I rate JD highly! Hes been superb when hes been given the chance, we will have to wait & see but i stick by my opinion!
November 22, 2008 at 11:11 am
wenger will probably give the captaincy too silvestre seb…
knowing his love for frenchmen
November 22, 2008 at 11:12 am
According to some reports he is the one that people were complaining about and basically told Gallas to go fuck himself when confronted.
He is also renowned for being a moody grumpy unlikeable person. I am probably biased as I whilst I think on his is day he shows brilliance but is too inconsistent for me. I dont think he has done anything for the club, has never scored more than 13 in a season and does not deserve the contract being mooted about.
I would rather have an extra 20k a week on the wage bill by buying Villa and I think we both agree on that.
I dont think our mix of strikers is either right or good enough if we want to compete
November 22, 2008 at 11:13 am
I don’t want to talk about WG any more tbh, it’s done and dusted and we are moving forward. Even if we lose today, it will only be a temporary blip, and I don’t expect us to anyway.
But as a last word…
WG is a real enigma. He has undoubted ability as a defender, but very little brain. He has been good enough to play for his country, but has created controversy everywhere he has gone (that is undeniable, whether any allegations about him are true or not). If he had joined us say in 2001 or 2003, would he have fitted in smoothly surrounded by quality and experience? Or would he have caused friction if he felt he wasn’t getting enough respect? We’ll never know I guess - but all that matters is that we get our team back together again, and the next week or two should reveal if that is the case. I am optimistic that we will
November 22, 2008 at 11:14 am
rico
hows the guinea pig that looks like a chinchilla ?
November 22, 2008 at 11:24 am
Sorry to put the cat amongst the pigeons chaps but im in the Gallas camp, i think if half the players showed as much passion as Gallas does when we lose we would be in a far better position than we are. IF there is a problem in the dressing room as our EX captain suggests, then i think he was correct in highlighting it ,although i dont agree with the way he did it, airing our laundry in public, and if RVP is the problem then this explains our over achievment last season considering he was injured for the majority of the matches, we cant afford to have a player who thinks hes bigger than the club and undermines the development of the younger players!
Finally just to say, i think weve just lost the best deffender we had, and one i believe would have built a formidable partnership with Silvestre, Cesc for captain
November 22, 2008 at 11:26 am
Arsenal dot fucking com , simply a brilliant informative web portal for anything that is arsenal !
hahaha !
November 22, 2008 at 11:26 am
ethan - all four are just lovely thanks, they are on the kitchen table, in a cage of course, whilst their room is being cleaned. They are busy pooping and piddling!
thanks pat - i really think we are missing Dudu, he gives us something very different, and yes i would love Villa, RvP needs to have a whole season without injury to prove his worth. He is having a bad time right now, but no-one is doing well upfront. We do need an out and out goal scorer, im hoping Simpson will be that player in the next season or two, but in the meantime we need one of our strikers to hit form.
No probs stevie - your opinion is yours, and you are entitled to it
November 22, 2008 at 11:27 am
Geoff …I think that was my point … players and Wenger telling us that there is a great team spirit but on the pitch we have seen for months this is not the case. Team spirit isn’t forged by headbutting a team mate. These players say these things because they are paid by Arsenal to toe the line and spray the spin….. at least Gallas had the guts to be honest with us.
November 22, 2008 at 11:27 am
Morning Grovers… I posted this last night…
WILLIAM GALLAS….
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DKmJPnAGUJk
November 22, 2008 at 11:30 am
Morning ave - thats made me chuckle
November 22, 2008 at 11:31 am
New Zealand have won the Rugby World Cup, beating the Aussies 34-20, Shocker!
November 22, 2008 at 11:33 am
Morning Rico..
Are you watching the game today or things to do?
November 22, 2008 at 11:33 am
n4
i agree , wenger comes out on friday and says this !
Arsène Wenger is confident that his players have enough technical ability to challenge for the title. Now he wants them to prove they have sufficient mental strength too.
Gallas comes out and tells us the truth !( on the same day)
i think the fans need to know !
we all complain like bitches on here , saying no one ever tells us shit , and then the moment
someone has the gonads too !
we burn him for it !
he is not the best captain in the world admittedly, but he is our most senior player and the only one with a winning mentality .and can say he has been there and done it before on more occasions most recently .. and now we have to pick from 19-21 year olds who have never won anything other than 5th division in the pools ..
to be honest i dont think he said things that most of us on here dont know already ..
remember honesty is the best policy ..
the fans pay money .. they have a right to know !
November 22, 2008 at 11:35 am
Ahahaha check out Cashley’s new project!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7743044.stm
I is like a gangstaa brrrraap brrrraap innit
November 22, 2008 at 11:35 am
Gallas is all the talk.
But lets not forget that he ia another one of Arsene’s mistakes in the last 3 years.
I think many of us are now really hoping that he will now start admitting ( at least to himself will do) thos mistakes & start repairing what’s needed to get the club on the playing side back on track.
PS. was very told yesterday that a recent CEO interviewee who was seriously considered, had to ask the board inc Wenger what they actually wanted from him & the role as he seriously believed that there were different people wanting different things from that person. To no suprise he was also interviewed by Wenger.
November 22, 2008 at 11:36 am
I hope to watch it on a link, but i seem to have trouble finding one each week, and i am not the best on computers - what about you?
After the horrible comments i got from a certain blogger last saturday, i thought i would make sure i watch the game
(joking of course, i always try to watch)
November 22, 2008 at 11:40 am
Ade and Kolo aren’t playing today.. The team will look like this:
Almunia
Hoyte - Djourou - Silvestre - Clichy
Diaby - Denilson - Song - Nasri
Bendtner - van Persie
Subs:
Fabianski, Gibbs, Lansbury, Wilshere, Ramsey, Vela, Simpson
November 22, 2008 at 11:40 am
Check here rico, nearer the game there should be more links
http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=24370&part=sports
The ones that say MediaPlayer are probably best if you don’t have a third party program like Sopcast or TvU on your computer. They often link to a channel on justin.tv, the streaming quality can vary and often depends how many people are using that channel, but just try another if you have problems
Personally I always use Sopcast and I find it very user friendly and reliable.
November 22, 2008 at 11:41 am
I’m going to watch it on a stream if I can Rico..
Why do fans have a right to know what goes on behind closed doors at Arsenal, Arsenal don’t take money off the fans with a gun against there head.
People have a choice at the start of the season to go and support there club, if they don’t like it they won’t go again.
November 22, 2008 at 11:43 am
You will find a link here Rico but they usually dont get populated until an hour before the game. I seem to get best results watching through Sopcast but it all depends how quick your Broadband connection is in the first place
November 22, 2008 at 11:44 am
http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=24370&part=sports
Sorry Link
November 22, 2008 at 11:47 am
Rico… i wouldnt worry about that idiot, i dont think he has commented since.
Seb… do you have to download sopcast software first?
November 22, 2008 at 11:47 am
Thanks Seb - thats when i get so confused, i get told to download sopcast, and then my pc security says its been found to cause problems and recomends i dont download. But most of you guys have said sopcast is safe….
I should heve been born blonde when it comes to computer stuff!
ave - agree, off field stuff should be kept behind closed doors, all i really want to know is who we are going to sign and when…. I will be a long time waiting
November 22, 2008 at 11:48 am
Thanks andy - but i have seen his name crop up in the week, it maybe a different one though if that is possible - he was just so rude and couldnt een be bothered to read what i actually wrote…
November 22, 2008 at 11:49 am
we can all kick him up the arse if he comes on again!
November 22, 2008 at 11:49 am
some one here said that if we loan him to france we may have to pay half of his wages because french clubs cannot pay his wages…..then loan him to madrid they need a defender as well and i don’t think Gallas will have any problem with that…All parties will be happy
November 22, 2008 at 11:50 am
andy
November 22, 2008 at 11:52 am
avenell
because there are reasons for flat performances people pay good money too see each week and wenger is tight lipped on the subject ..
remember its our club too !
if it wasnt for the fans this club wouldnt be what it is today ..
also how can telling the truth be a bad thing ???
November 22, 2008 at 11:52 am
Morning all, is Kolo not injured? Thought he was.
November 22, 2008 at 11:53 am
I missed it last week as my Spud mate came down to stay, so we didn’t talk or watch football, but we will stick together this week.. and we are away so Geoff/Pedro should be able to keep a watchful eye.
November 22, 2008 at 11:55 am
YES DOWNLOAD SOPCAST from http://www.sopcast.com
http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=24370&part=sports
once its fully installed click on the SopCAST links too the game on the above webpage
it will boot automatically ..
make sure your link is 1-2 + megs ..
512k is more frustrating than anything .. and your best going to justintv.com if your speed isnt fast enough ..
November 22, 2008 at 11:55 am
pat your link it that okay to use without having any extra downloads on your p.c.i amm not that good on p.c.
just listened to frank mcclintock and he said it is either rvp or ade and that rvp had a go at theo during the spurs half tim.
now the whole media are saying we will not finish op four and that gallas should have lost the captaincy in the summer.
November 22, 2008 at 11:56 am
well im off too the sleazy wine bars too see some tits .. opps i mean the game
caio !