Obafemi Martins is one we don’t want and don’t need, we have Robin Van Persie, Adebayor, Eduardo, Bendtner, Theo, Simpson and if we get him Arshavin, not to mention Rui Fonte, Gilles Sunu and Rhys Murphy coming through the academy, so in short spending £13mil on a Newcastle player is and will be a waste of money.
Better for me to spend it on a defensive midfielder and a centre back, assuming that is, we have Arshavin in the bag. I wouldn’t be averse to taking on Scott Parker for the defensive role, I also see we are being linked to Boca Juniors star Sebastian Battaglia, I don’t really know him, but he did flop at Villareal, not that means too much, because Riquelme didn’t work out for the Yellow submarines either, but Parker does have premiership experience, is English and would slot straight into the team.
It’s abundantly clear that Song won’t step up and we need a strong player in there that can add to the team and not weaken it, so add Song to the list of players we don’t want.
I think that Ramsey or Coquelin will be the players we need there, but that’s a way off so a Parker or a Sebastian Battaglia could do a holding role as the holding player until one of them can take over.
I would also like Toulalon, Velosa or Cana but that won’t happen, I thought I’d say it though.
I would like to know how Ronaldo got the FIFA world player of the year over Messi, what do they judge it on? Still, who cares, he’ll be a Madrid player in the summer and we won’t have to see him day in day out after that, then we can go back to hating Gerrard, Terry and Rooney again.
It’s good to see the Chavs have taken over the spotlight from Arsene Wenger as the team in crisis, add that to two or three good signings and we could get something out of this season after all.
Jacky boy will be playing in the FA youth cup soon so we get to see what we have to come, I wish the boys luck in that one, it would be nice to win that, we certainly have the players.
I just wish we could sign someone without waiting until the deadline, it’s the equivalent of going 1 down and waiting until the 89th minute to equalise and the 93rd minute to get the winner, Arsene make us feel happy early eh? Get Arshavin on board before Tottenham go down and get our season back on track, we can still win this thing, in fact we can still win three trophies, if anyone can, you can!
Have another great day Grovers, only 4 days to go to get our own back on the Tigers who are from a small village somewhere near Scotland, Hull.
P.S. We’ve heard from a source close to the club that the physio is on stand by to do a medical for Arshavin at anytime. We’ve also heard that the player is refusing to speak to Man City as he wants to play on the biggest stage and prove himself… watch this space!
What is this Bentner talk? Is Birmingham interested on loaning, buying him or what. Is the source reliable??
Now now! We aint losing any playes this month…
What DO you call a squad when its even thinner than wafer? It used to be a paper thin squad, now its wafer thin, what’d it be called if/when we lose more bodies?
i wish we acted a bit more like zenit when barca come around
Angry Loner, maybe Wenger could tell Gallas via the Arsenal website that he’s lost his shirt number, he prefers to do things that way as it avoids confrontation. On the other hand they could just change his number without telling him, I bet he wouldn’t notice!!
it will go from being a squad to just a group maybe angry
we get robbed in the transfers deals going out, if it happens one more time im phoning the police.
JonJon;
I think Bendtner Senior’s anger and outburst was aimed at our lovely media types, so I doubt it means NB’s off any time soon fella.
swap gallas,10 fags for the ten shirt maybe
Evening Grovers!
I’m watching ‘Thank you for smoking’. Top film.
So… any exciting news?
bergkamp give him a j.d aswell
just got home to see that simpson scored. Anyone see it?
Pedro;
Yeh, I seen that one, its funny.
We’ve signed Arshavin, Ive decided, coz thats why Wenger’s moved nasri into the centre. Obvious really.
a johan dourou kick in the face or a real JD ??? hopefully kolo and jo can keep a few clean sheets ,he can have many jd’s then
What is this Bentner talk?
sunu hatrick 3-1 youth cup
Rasdef
nikki told fabrice the team selections for the bolton game
apparantly????
not a smart move…
Wilshire played in that Youth cup game
Looked like a strong team
James Shea
Craig Eastmond
Thomas Cruise
Kyle Bartley
Luke Ayling
Emmanuel Frimpong
Henri Lansbury
Francis Coquelin
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas
Jack Wilshere
Rhys Murphy
Ahh… good thinking angry.
Unless… has a long term plan of putting nik outwide… surely not!
Sunu’s apparently off to Lyon in the summer…. Bugger! Another one bites the dust.
In all Honesty I think I could have told Bolton what the team could have been. We were hardly flush with options
3 hours before the teamsheets were due in -JonJon
murphy got stretched off after half hour sunu came on and banged them up
Where the bleedin hells Sunu in that line up?? Or am I blind?
I saw that rumour about Sunu, has it been confirmed?
Bendtners dad said that’s bollocks and the English in a nutshell
He came on Angry, Murphy injured on the half hour
its the point of it though pat,its like a few weeks ago one of our players leaving some letterhead information supplied only to the players written by wenger in a hotel room,its careless
ptg;
Dunno mate, hope not. He seems to have finally started to do the bizznizz
Ahh, thanks for clearing that one up fellas!
That game’ll be on ArseTV wont it?
I know Bergkamp, it is unacceptable.
I think it has already been rubbished though. I think it is another attempt by the tabloids at kicking us while we are down.
or by the bolton staff who exposed it maybe pat
just watchin afc tv,how the hell did we let edu go
bergkamp;
I just switched it on 5 minutes ago, Edu headed a cross out of our box and I thought exactly the effin same as you fella!!!
Especially when we let Vieira leave in the same summer.
at least he does not make the same mistake twice (Diarra, Flamini, Gilberto)
Do you remember Edu on his last day as well. He was crying walking around the pitch. I think he really loved being at the club. Shame we let players like that leave and keep ones like Song.
lol pat,exactly,edu was a serious player,composed and didnt mind waitin for a chance to start,man utd thought they could single him out in that game their showing and he bossed them
edu never wanted to leave,arsenal just wouldnt offer him a good deal until he had already verbally agreed his move abbroad,another flamini situation
Letting his contract run down was an effin disgrace… Old snake DD! Hang your head in shame!
Tip of the day;
Wigan to get a draw at OT tomorrow!
its how times are changing when u look edu cost half as much as ramsey,we cant find cheap players no more,when arsene identifys them clubs double the prices
looks like a bad tip lol
wiltord lost his way badly after this season as well
I heard we only paid about 600k for Edu!
Zaki will score in a 1-1 bergy!
and £600 for his passport
Hahaa!
zaki?? no chance,i reckon maybe heskey tommorow
Guys… I read this all day, ‘shame that we keep Song and let others go’.
Song never asks to leave, never asks for a pay rise and never complains!
Muamba, Edu, Sidwell, Flamini, Hleb, Bentley, Pennant… they all left because they wanted to!
Song will never leave… unless he runs his contract down. Probably the same with Nik B, Denilson and Ade.
pedro players cant be forced out unless their contract ends, only edu and flamini in that list could have stayed,its a bit of respect showing players you want to keep them,milan showed flamini they wanted him more and edu was allowed to negotiate,arsenal offered him a smaller contract
True Bergkamp… but I still don’t believe the Flamini situation was about money, it was about Milan.
Edu was maybe about money… but in the end, it was a principal issue.
Arsenal don’t have to show Song that much respect… he isn’t very good, and knows he won the lottery getting a move. It’s the little players who turn big we have trouble keeping… or English kids who think they are better than they are.
Flamini had one decent season, he did what he wanted to do.
Edu on the other hand, well, the club took him for granted and when they finally got round to sorting out his deal, it was too bloomin late, IMO!
Edu & Pires would’ve happily stayed, innit?
i think if arsenal offered flamini a contract a year earlier with a little rise on it he would have signed it, instead they practically tried to flog him to brum then diaby got injured, then there would have been no milan anyway,they wouldnt have paid his value in a transfer
So Simpson scored tonight?
i think flamini just went for broke,he gave 120% in every game with a big contract or a lucrative move in his mind
Talkin of Ebglish players thinking they are better than they really are… Bentley’s done fuck all hasnt he!!! Haaahaaa! Rat faced cunt!
This just in…
Man City in talks to sign………….. KAKA!
Bergkamp… I think a little bit of the Flamini thing was down to the young man refusing to play at full back the Jan prior.
Wenger was sulking…
man city can sign who they like,the image of the club is loser,the mentality of the club is loser,nothing will get them out of the shadows,especially without a top manager
Yeh, Simpson scored tonight, not seen it.
Lets see him do it in the league now.
i think the champions league final snub hurt him as well pedro, that would hurt anyone,especially as the players in the squad at that time probably knew that would be cashleys last game
I just think Flamini waited to see what deals were on thetable, he moved to us under a cloud, so he obviously werent averse to leavin clubs at the drop of a hat, he probably fancied a new challenge, league, etc.. you know? Modern day footballers.
i just think they underestimated the flam,they didnt realise edu’s quality until he had signed elsewhere, he asked for 35 k a week,and they refused then they came back with a 40k a week offer to edu and he said no
kanu was unbelivable
i just think they were clearing the wage bill in the summer,they thought they had someone coming in and the deal collapsed,thats my opinion of the gilberto situation
Edu and Pires (although he did seem on the wane a bit) are the only 2 players I got a problem with the club with for the way they let them go.
Anyhoo, thats all in the past!
Laterssssssssssss
edu pires and keown,keown should have been kept forever just to demand more bravery in the dressing room
Traore’s assist, today:
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1963261/
101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1963261/
Thats Traore’s assist
hello grovers.
how is everyone tonight?
is JonJon about
We should buy from the A league. FACT.
Why is it that at night everyone is gone when I come on? Every damn time!!
welcome to the Club Stu.
since ive started going back to work every time i get on Le-grove its in the evening. lol
yeah pedro simpson scored a very good goal tonight, i watched the game, he actually looked better than i thought he would, though granted not the highest standard. Just same as expected really, was very quick, strong, and showed quick feet. Still stupid as anything, gave the ball away with very poor first touches or passes a few times but when not trying to take part in one touch passing moves he was reliable enough, just gave the ball away a few times with a lack of understanding how to shield the ball. Overall though his pace, power, and shooting will get him goals in the prem, though he’ll never be good enough for us. Was a quality strike for his goal though
Evening Raif, just quit so. Who needs to stress at work when you can get even more stress supporting the stingy Arsenal.
Anyone watch the Youth Cup? We won 3-1 and Sunu got a hattrick but thats all I know. Ayling apparently got motm, but dont know anything about him either.
i couldnt agree more.
thats why some times i like to have a Arsenal Blackout and not bover with anything arsenal. as im only going to get my self worked out it. not good at all, lol
Jay Simpson
Scored already for his club!
So did Kranjcar…
David, what minute did Krancjar score in? I thought it was only 1-0.
Arshavin wants no.10 at the club he is joining but its occupied. If he is talking about us then Gallas should give it up. He should never have taken it in the first place. cunt!
Stu, Arshavin said he would like #10, but he knows it is taken and would choose a different #.
I know Pat, thats what im saying. Runour has it that should he sign for us he would get #23.
The numbers allocation at the club is messed up. Its all over the place.
*m
1
2-5-6-3
11-8-4-7
9-10
Thats the way the numbers should be. After that it doesnt really matter as long as they arent 57,48, 92 etc.
7 and 11 should be other way round stu!
Diaby 2 and gallas 10 are very weird ones
Yes A, they should but our no7 is already given to a left midfielder. Not much of a difference because he rarely actually stays out left.
You do realise, pretty much every club in the league already has a #10?
yeah jimbo, pretty much every club in europe does! I just hope we sign arshavin and it happens sooner rather than later, get it over and done with give him as much time to settle before the business end of the season
God, I’m just hoping this gets done before the end of the week – I’d just love it if we could somehow sign this guy.
Really don’t think we will though – Zenit will not budge on their demands, and eventually he’ll end up elsewhere.
But he’s one hell of a player…
Zenit have to budge or they risk losing him for 5 million. Like I’ve been saying, I don’t think Arshavin is in it for the wages, and I doubt he’ll go to City.
We should have copied Madrid and bought early so the players would settle in quicker. As it stand any new arrivals will take until mid february at the earliest to settle in.
He’ll go to city if they offer double what we offer, AND we don’t come to agreement with Zenit (which we won’t).
West Brom manager Tony Mowbray was full of praise for Arsenal’s rookie Jay Simpson after the on-loan striker put the Baggies on the way to an FA Cup fourth-round home tie against Burnley.
Simpson dented Peterborough’s hopes of a cup shock with an 18th-minute opener, his first for the club, and defender Paul Robinson made sure of an Albion victory with a second goal eight minutes before the break.
Now Mowbray is hoping Simpson can inspire Albion to get away from the foot of the Barclays Premier League.
Mowbray said: “Maybe Jay Simpson’s quality and ability to score goals like he did tonight will help us in the Premier League.
“Our team needs help in the goalscoring department. It needs creativity, because generally, week-in and week-out, ball retention is not a problem for us.
“We can control games but if you can’t stick the ball in the net you will not win. Let’s hope Jay can do that.
“I saw Jay play against Wigan in the Carling Cup and give them a torrid time. Arsenal’s kids ran them ragged and it was a strong Wigan team.
“Simpson looked such a potent threat and I thought that was something our team needed. There was an opportunity to bring in a player who wasn’t quite ready for Arsenal. I am delighted they allowed us to take him.
“We saw at The Hawthorns how well Peterborough can play but I don’t think they reached those heights tonight.
“We felt that the first game was their best chance of getting through the tie. We came here twice last season and won so it held no fears for us.”
Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson found it ironic that a player he once coveted arrived at London Road to dump his side out of the cup.
Ferguson had looked at signing Simpson before he went on loan to Millwall last season and he echoed Mowbray’s assessment of the 20-year-old’s performance.
“He is a lad I know well and I watched him for Arsenal a couple of times but he went to Millwall last season,” revealed Ferguson.
“He’s a quality player and I thought his first goal showed that. I thought he was outstanding for them.”
i don’t think city will genuinely be after arshavin. he isn’t a hughes signing, nor big enough to be a marquee signing. They’ll break the transfer world record for kaka or villa or someone, arshavin isnt high profile enough
They’ll have exactly the same luck that Chelsea had in signing Kaka and Villa – none. Then they’ll turn to Arshavin, and they’ll be able to because we’ll still be negotiating (or pretending to negotiate).
simpson’s goal was very good, and he caused posh problems, but even in the game tonight he showed the deficiencies that mean he’ll never be an arsenal player, will score goals in the prem though, and his pace, power, and quick feet will cause defenders alot of problems
Jimbo, Arshavin doesn’t want to go to City. It doesn’t matter what the hell Zenit want. Arshavin wants to prove himself. Big bad Zenit deny him his move to Arsenal? No problem! He buys out his contract for 5 million!
I doubt we will make another offer. Offering 10m for the Russian captain and the Zenit star player is thick. We got 15m(ish) for Hleb who is older and less productive in front of goal.
10m is an insult to Zenit and our fans.
i don’t think they’d want arshavin jimbo. And i think they genuinely could get kaka or villa, their money will talk when it comes to those players and clubs, arshavin is a comparitive noone and wouldn’t appease the sheik!
Believe him buying himself out of his contract when I see it.
But Arshavin will relish the move to the big stage of the Premiership, even if he doesn’t get his move to Arsenal, and City’s cash will more than compensate for that.
The key is, Arshavin would almost certainly go to City than stay at Zenit – the longer ARsenal drag their heels on this one, the sooner he’ll turn around and accept City’s offer to make sure he’s not stuck in Russia for another 6 months.
We aren’t serious about Arshavin, that will become clear soon enough, and when it does, he’ll cut his losses and go to City (or someone else, quite possibly).
i disagree stu, 12 mil is what he should command in todays market, less than hleb imo. Hleb had played all over europe, shown he could adapt, and was one of the best players in europe last season imo. Arshavin has undoubted talent but is a big risk for anyone because he’s never played outside russia, and the fact his contract is expiring means they have to sell or lose him for free
im not sure he would jimbo. arshavin wanted to stay at zenit this year to play champions league with them, now he wants to test himself at the top in europe, not just be a showpony for a midtable premiership side, where by the time they’ve built a team to challenge he’ll be past his peak
I read a few days ago that we might offer Zenit 15 million with 6 million in add-ons, depending how well he does.
JOSE MOURINHO is out to thwart old foe Arsene Wenger again – by hijacking his bid to land Andrei Arshavin.
Arsenal have been in talks with Zenit St Petersburg all month about the 27-year-old Russian international playmaker.
But the Gunners are baulking at Zenit’s £25m valuation of a player who has never proved himself outside his own country.
Arsenal do not want to pay even half that, although it is understood they have offered Zenit an improved deal linked to how successful Arshavin is at The Emirates.
But Wenger’s hopes of pulling off a cut-price signing have been hit by Mourinho’s Inter Milan entering the market.
It is unlikely the Italians will agree to Zenit’s demands, but may be willing to go to around £15m.
As well as landing a talented player, Portuguese coach Mourinho would also be getting another one over on Wenger.
The two managers could barely stand each other when Mourinho was boss at Chelsea. In 2005 Mourinho famously called Wenger a “voyeur” with a big telescope always trailed on the Blues.
Zenit fly off for a pre-season tour to the United Arab Emirates next week, but Arshavin has pulled out while he settles his future.
Reports in Russia also suggest that a possible stumbling block to any deal is a demand by the player’s agent, Dennis Lachter, for a £5m cut of the transfer fee.
Yes A, but that move looks like it won’t materialise.
We aren’t going to put in a bid that Zenit will accept, and so far it seems that his only choice is City. Zenit aren’t playing in next year’s CL either, by the way, so he’s more likely to accept an offer from City than stay there. If that’s all that’s on the table, he has no choice to buy himself out of his contract (which can be protracted and messy), or go to City.
Arshavin could leave in the summer though, jimbo. He doesn’t have to go to City if we don’t get him.
Thats from the Daily Star by the way.
The deal should be for 10m and add ons depending on how he does, whether he wins anything etc.
Sure.
And in the summer, he might have an even better chance of joining an even bigger club than Arsenal.
Seriously, we aren’t getting anywhere near this guy.
I think we’ll sign him for around 12-14 million. The later the transfer window gets the more desperate they will be to sell. Arshavin just wouldn’t go to city I don’t think, so zenit will have the choice of selling to us for around 12 mil or losing him for free in the summer, so they’ll decide to sell.
i wish we could just end this saga… its kinda starting to take the piss
One of the most annoing aspects is that we are being kept in the dark.
Most of the other managers are disclosing bits of info on their progress on players but Wenger isnt giving us anything.
I wish we would just either sign him or just move on because the longer we dont get him the more frustrating it becomes. And the more disappointed we will be when Wenger says we ALMOST got him but for a few million,. Cheap bastards!
managers don’t usually disclose info on their transfer dealings, they usually play games, and one manager claims they’re after a player, the other claims they havn’t received a bid and player’s going nowhere etc! Speculation is the frustrating thing, I wish zenit had never come out with the in talks bollocks, creates too much expectation, would be horrific if we didn’t get him now
we are so miser.. we make a couple of million on one matchday alone…
Nearly a quarter of Arsenal fans are considering giving up their season-ticket according to a new survey.
Virgin Money’s Football Fans’ Inflation Index, which has tracked match day costs since January 2006, says die-hard supporters could give up their tickets as the credit crunch bites.
While 24 per cent of Gunners season-ticket holders are considerin
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g cancelling, the survey says as many as 34 per cent of north London rivals Spurs are having second thoughts about renewing.
Premier League champions Manchester United are feeling the pinch with 36 per cent considering giving up season tickets, while 37 per cent at West Ham, Newcastle and Blackburn are in the same frame of mind.
Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters Federation, said: “Over the past 15 years football inflation has consistently exceeded ordinary inflation and the industry may well now pay the price for its short-sightedness in allowing that to happen.
“At the end of the day watching football is a leisure activity and it would be very surprising if it was immune from the sharp effects of the recession, particularly at the top end of the game where prices are so high.”
PERCENTAGE CONSIDERING CANCELLING SEASON TICKETS
West Ham 37%
Blackburn 37%
Newcastle 37%
Man Utd 36%
Tottenham 34%
Bolton 31%
Man City 31%
Portsmouth 31%
Everton 27%
Liverpool 26%
Aston Villa 26%
Chelsea 26%
Arsenal 24%
Middlesbrough 24%
Fulham 22%
Hull 20%
Stoke City 18%
Sunderland 18%
West Brom 18%
Wigan 14%
We’re in the bottom half of that list. the mancs are 2nd
“At the end of the day watching football is a leisure activity and it would be very surprising if it was immune from the sharp effects of the recession, particularly at the top end of the game where prices are so high.”
PERCENTAGE CONSIDERING CANCELLING SEASON TICKETS
West Ham 37%
Blackburn 37%
Newcastle 37%
Man Utd 36%
Tottenham 34%
Bolton 31%
Man City 31%
Portsmouth 31%
Everton 27%
Liverpool 26%
Aston Villa 26%
Chelsea 26%
Arsenal 24%
Middlesbrough 24%
Fulham 22%
Hull 20%
Stoke City 18%
Sunderland 18%
West Brom 18%
Wigan 14%
ok pat are you the arsenal news now reporter for Le grove ?
i think arsenals % being lower than most is a bit of a surprise but im sure you can add over 10% +
too those figures if we lose C.L football and maybe another 5 % if we finish out of the top 4 ..
After the success that the mancs have had I’m suprised at their percentage and they’ve got a much smaller waiting list than us.
Ethan isnt finishing out of the top4 and not getting CL football the same thing?
hehehe
yes stu i spose it is
ok so add 15 % if we finish outside the top 4
i spose i meant to say won anything this season ..
BUT GM
its not surprising that all other cities other than London based clubs are hit by the
worse than the central hub of london , im sure % of unemployed are slightly better being the capital than the other underlining cities in the country ..
you can also understand why the spuds are also in a high % bracket ..
fooling there fans for 2 seasons on the trot that they have a top 4 team ,
theres something to learn from that , our board should take notice …
Villa’s first signing?
http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/PlayerProfiles/0,,10265~39837,00.html
IDIER DROGBA has been dumped by Chelsea — and Big Phil Scolari has sensationally admitted he does not care if he gets sacked as boss.
Drog is not in the squad for tonight’s FA Cup replay at Southend after he was savaged by Scolari for his miserable display in Sunday’s 3-0 hiding at Manchester United.
The striker will be replaced by Nicolas Anelka at Roots Hall while Scolari further stunned Blues fans when he shrugged off the threat of losing his job.
He said: “I don’t care. If I lose my job, I have another job. Maybe tomorrow, maybe after one year or two. I’ve worked for 25 years, so no problem.”
SunSport revealed yesterday the Brazilian must win a major trophy this year or face the axe.
He has been dogged by poor results and dressing-room unrest over the past two months — though it would cost Chelsea £10million to pay him off.
Scolari insisted he would be happy coaching anywhere.
He added: “I like Chelsea. I like Cobham, where I live, I like the school my son is at, I like my job here, the people, even the Press.
“It’s not a problem for me. I like every day in London.
“But if I go back to Brazil, I will like Brazil the same. When I was in Kuwait, I loved Kuwait.
“I had three fantastic years in Saudi Arabia. I love life, finish. If I lose or not lose my job, I will be the same.”
Drogba, 30, is desperate to leave and his old club Marseille want to sign him on loan.
Anelka will return after confronting Scolari about the fact he had been left out for the last three games — even though he is the Premier League’s top scorer with 14 goals.
Scolari said: “I have looked at many games with Anelka and at the last few with Didier. I have my opinion and I will put my opinion on the pitch every game.”
Another exclusive piece of transfer information from Sky Sports News chief news reporter Bryan Swanson is that Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is keen to lure Inter Milan striker Adriano to White Hart Lane on loan, with left-back Gareth Bale offered as part of a swap deal.
Why else would Fabian Delphs profile on Villas site?
Because some Villa blogs say its not true. Hmmm
Ethan
the mancs had a big rise in prices last year and they are pissed off about cup tickets. I also know some mancs who hate the glazers even though they are winning trophies
Gareth Bale is useless! He is yet to win a league game with spurs!
Hmm. Zenit want 17 million pounds for Arshavin, not a penny less. Wenger is willing to spend 12 million at most.
Also wants Lazio’s Diakate and Schalke’s CDM, Heiko Westermann.
Diakate medical on friday, 6-7 million.
Very interesting “rumors”
We’re linked with Palacios as well
Pat, where did you see them?
Diakhate is a defender for Kiev, not lazio. And Westermann is a defender who can play anywhere in defence but also DM.
I hope we arent signing Diakhate tho.
Although I would take Flamini back in a heartbeat
Where are you reading all these rumors?
delph isn’t a real signing anyways, he won’t be able to play in the prem for a season or two, most likely be loaned back out to league one or at best championship this year!
pat the diakate and westerman rumours are completely ridiculous, as wenger categorically stated we aren’t after a defender, and noone is leaving!
Pat although zenit want that, they’ll have to accept less or lose arshavin for free, i’m very hopeful we’ll sign him for 12 mil sooner rather than later, especially if they’re off on pre season tours etc soon
Flamini and Arshavin would defo fix midfield and a hard defender who can take control of the defence and fuck players who make mistakes out of it.
Sorry Stu, I meant this guy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobido_Diakit%C3%A9
he’s french!
oh ok stu, didnt realise westermann can play dm too, maybe then. I think the DM could be an eduardo type signing, out of the blue without previous rumours. I really hope so!
He just came back from injury
GM
pretty amazing really that man U have such a high % , even if you hate the owners , winners are grinners ..
i think that % will also reduce if man U hit there straps in the 2nd 1/2 of the season , which we all know they will do !
losing ronaldo will be a blow , but im sure the $$$ will more than make up for it ..
and if they get benzema i dont think they have really lost that much ..
Never heard of him so he would be typical Wenger signing. I would rather we didnt sign him tho because he is too young and hasnt played nearly enough games.
I would like him to buy from Germany tho. Westermann aint a bad choice. Good on the ball and very versatile. Has a good goalscoring record for a defender too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heiko_Westermann
Although if we do buy from Schalke I wouldnt mind getting Neuer if we dont get Westermann. Just a dream tho! ((sigh))
stu
they are NOT french so your right that is just a pipe dream ..
frings, Mertesacker or klose in lieu of arshavin
would be the cream of the bunch ,
i fucking hate germans but Mertesacker would be a class signing ..
but as we all know wenger isnt into class signings ..
rather bring a player up from obscurity ..
and in doing that you always create a monster ..
a monster who’s head swells then decides a season or 2 later that he is bigger than the club ..
The French arent what they used to be. Since euro 2000 they havent produced any great performances or footballers. Maybe Nasri, Gourcuff will change that but they wont compare to the old team.
We had an amazing french core. Henry, Pires, Wiltord, Vieira, Petit- all great friends and played brilliantly together. Nasri, Clichy, Sagna, Gallas, Diaby just arent the same. They are at best a level below.
Blame that on the current squad if you will but there is no denying we have dropped too much in the standard of player we have. Only Gallas plays for france of those and he will hopefully be leavng us soon.
Rouwen Hennings and kroos would be good future signings ..
if you wanted too pool from germany
Ethan, i strongly disagree.
I really like the Germans for their efficiency and discipline amoungst other traits. But Mertesacker would be an awful signing. The only thing he has going for him is height. He is extremely slow and not that strong for his build.
He and Metzelder were embarrassingly shit during the euros.
the more i think about it , wenger just got lucky with those players stu, he hasnt been able to replicate a winning team again since ..
sure we havent got crap players but that time was special alright ..
and your right french was a power back then with paddy and titi
pires and wiltord …
I think if its not french or now the favored english youth you might as well forget it ..
sure arshavin is none of those but i cant see wenger just starting to rape germany of there players
without any provocation, i dont think his scouting network (even if there’s one at all )
stretches that far ….
its a little 1 dimensional if you ask me , i mean even red nose just got 3 youth players 2 from serbia ..
Italy would be a nice place to start buying up some class too !
I wouldnt be suprised at all if Wenger only allows his scouts to search for young players. Almost like there is an age limit.
When was the last time we bought someone from another league, who was a regular for their team and hadnt been playing for their country?
Im not sure there is one.
stu mert. is only 24 !
and he will develop into a great player , i mean defenders dont even usually start there journey too
greatness prior to 25 usually ..
i think if wenger bought him he would be a rock .. and as for toughening up , well the EPL is the prime place to do that apprenticeship dont you think ?
i bet ya in 3 years he will be the house (or HAUS) hold name in defenders ..