Melo in, Ade out, and Robin to sign, why so happy?

by & filed under Uncategorized.

I speak to you today having decided to play ‘Championship Manager’ for once, as I’m often being accused of it, today I decided to play it, what do you think?

Melo is the latest hot rumour, apart from a you tube snippet and a reasonable showing in FIFA’s version of the Worthless cup how many of you Grovers had ever seen or even heard of Melo? If I’m being honest, I hadn’t.

Why then are so many of you happy that we are on the verge of signing him? Why, I’ll tell you why, it’s because deep down you all know that what we currently have in that position is simply not good enough, but many don’t want to say it for fear of saying the manager (not me) has come up short with his belief in a few young ‘uns.

As I am now the expert in the game, ‘Championship Manager’ I can speak with some authority and a degree of clarity.

My question is, if we have been tracking him since his Almeria days (Almeria is where they make the Spaghetti westerns) then why did we wait until he was worth £15 million before we got interested, yes I know we tried in January, but even then he was being touted at £15 million.

Okay, I believe we need an enforcer and at 6′ tall and playing for Brazil alongside the great Gilberto he does seem to fit the bill, the ones he will be replacing will be good back up and if not we should at least get our money back on them should we choose to.

If it’s not Melo, then maybe Cana, Diarra or Inler, but frankly anyone that can do the holding job will do me, it’s the one thing we desperately need to push on, now that we have a decent defender anyway.

Diaby is putting in the extra hours in the gym to bulk up and that I applaud, why then don’t Denilson and Song do likewise, or why doesn’t Ade go to offside and finishing school?

Better news is we are close to agreeing a new deal for the boy wonder and that pleases me, well done Robin, we need you, you will be a star in the years to come, after all the Mancs wanted you, so you can’t be all bad!

I was really impressed with Gibbs last night and can see that maybe now we have a potential left winger in the making, so we are blessed on that flank with Traore, Vela and Rosicky all queueing up.

Getting Melo in the middle we also have the protector we so need and with Nasri, Cesc and Diaby there too we have plenty in reserve, Theo out wide still needs some help and if Eboue goes then we do need to bring in an out and out winger on the right. With Ramsey and Wilshere also in there we now have many options in midfield.

Ade now has Roma after him him and that’s good news, I get the feeling he is disruptive and I would have Nikki B over him all day long, plus he would fund Melo and that winger.

Sakho in for Eboue and the money we get from Senderos, and we have the makings of a championship winning side, and as an expert in ‘Championship Manager’ I really should know!

Finally I really believe that fringe players like Denilson, Song, Wilshere and Ramsey would all improve having such good players in there to learn from, I also think they would not have the pressure on their young shoulders when drafted in to do a job, leaving them in there for 40 games a season cannot be good for them or their confidence, signing Melo and Vermaelen is a shrewd move as they are older and better than what we currently have, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, we need to keep either Gallas or Kolo, but we can get shot of Silvestre, Eboue and Adebayor.

I get the feeling that once the under 21′s and the Confederation cup have finished, we will conclude our business, but signing Hitzelwhateverhisnameis is buying for the sake of buying, him for me would serve no purpose other than to bring in yet another average midfielder and at the moment we are well stocked in that department.

Build from the back boss, the rest will take care of itself, our attacking midfielders and our forwards for me are the best in the world.

And that my friends concludes my masterclass into the game they call ‘Championship Manager’

Have a great day, tomorrow Pedro posts!

663 Responses to “Melo in, Ade out, and Robin to sign, why so happy?”

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  1. Steve

    Why do people keep questioning if our targets are better than we already have ffs??

    We have Song and Denilson in centre mid, so there we go.

  2. Duke

    PDT, he didn’t mention his blog, but his post was something like:
    “Why you guys slating my players and my club. Are you even Arsenal fans? Bullshit Bullshit Bullshit Bullshit, Arsene is the greatest, Bullshit Bullshit Bullshit Bullshit, we had a bad season with Rioch. Bullshit Bullshit Bullshit Bullshit. I am the greatest Arsenal fan, go support the chavs. Bullshit Bullshit Bullshit Bullshit”

    I think I covered everything :D

  3. Dutchman

    Hey, about melo I have see him play against ajax this season in the UEFA league and he was very good, his tackling was superb and he is the man we need.
    I also heard RvP agrees with us so that is very good news. And AW said that he was looking for 1 or 2 oder signing. Maybe melo and tasci???
    Is it confederations cup tonight?

  4. Arsenal Tom

    later duke. melo looks like he’s our number 1 target now, its nice to see us doing our deals quickly, cant remember the first time we came out the blocks so quick

  5. Franchise

    lol inside i used arsenal last on pro evo like 3 seasons ago. we are crap on it. surprise surprise Inter is my team :D

  6. Mayank

    Pro Evo and FIFA suck, they both make arsenal look bad and man u look god like… that twat ronaldo always scores against me… Glad i got that out…

  7. Mayank

    The long serving Arsenal manager seems eager to avoid a repeat, and speaking to Setanta he said: “We lost Hleb and Flamini last summer and we have had to rebuild,”
    “We have done that now and the future looks bright. We don’t want to have to rebuild again, so I want to keep all the players together for next season.”
    “I don’t want to lose anyone.”
    “I want to add to the squad and have identified one or two targets. But identifying players and buying them are two different things.”
    Wenger also suggested he would complete all of his summer transfer business prior to pre-season training in mid-July.
    The Frenchman added: “Ideally I would like to bring everybody in before we start back in pre-season training in July. I don’t want to leave it until the end of August.”

    When did he say this?

  8. tomstoned

    PDT mate..

    seems like Hangeland is a no deal.,.,,its gotten very quiet about it back here in Norway too….too bad really…

    tom

  9. Mayank

    If he really means what he’s said (as it doesn’t seem taken out of context) then we definitely will sign just one more player or not even that.

  10. Pat

    Don’t know if you guys have watched the “Perfect footballer” videos on Arsenal.com, but from the one I’ve seen, everyone says Flamini has the most heart, etc.

    We treated him like shit. Its sort of like the Tevez affair right now, except Tevez actually got offered crazy money.

  11. Arsenal Tom

    mayank… we’ll get a DM and i reckon a winger/CF if ade leaves…

    if he says we desperately need a DM everyones price go up and if he says ade’s going he goes down and his replacements cost goes up…

  12. SharkeySure

    Niraj…there were rumours of Fulham wanting upwards of £10m…maybe even £15m

    Verms about 5 yrs younger I think. Prob a lot faster too.

    Hangeland made some pretty odd comments early on about playing for a team that suits him.

    I read it as one where the fullbacks sit beside him all afternoon, with two DMs never more than 10yds away. Not excatly our style that.

  13. Pat

    Why is everyone so high on Hangeland, I do not know. Fulham play defensively. Its suits him, he plays deep.

    Wih the high line that Arsenal play, he’d get murdered. He makes Senderos look like a world class sprinter!

  14. Niraj

    SS

    those are all read comments mate….having seen him play for fulham spending couple of more pounds for him would not have been a bad idea IMO….

  15. Pat

    Quality player in a system thats good for him. Same goes to Xabi Alonso. He has another CDM helping him, a much more hard-working one as well. That won’t help us.

    Denilson had better tackling, passing %ages. More assists, same amount of goals. We need an engine in their and Xabi doesn’t give us that.

  16. Arsenal Tom

    i agree on alonso, he’s a quality payer but is complimented by having mascherano next to him to do allot of the running and hustling, he wouldn’t have that with us

  17. SharkeySure

    Pat. Im with you on both counts, Hanger, and Xabi.

    But please leave Big Phil out of it…I’m a big fan of his. And yeah, I am being serious.

  18. Steve

    You must have a strong heart Sharkey. He scares the fuck out of me whenever he goes near the ball or an opposition player. The fucking Belgrano turns quicker.

  19. Steve

    Alonso is overrated. Certainly not worth 18-20m. If he was that good why were Liverpool so keen to fuck him off last summer for Barry? Benitez may be a cunt, but he likes a Dago and still preferred Barry.

  20. Steve

    What’s happened to him Tom??????????????

    Oh fuck, you meant footballistically speaking :)

    I thought you were doing an obituary.

  21. Franchise

    Pat with all den’s stats no one outside arsenal rates him. comparing certain stats is pointless anyway. Alonso was the best holding midfielder in the league this year should make team of the season. Denilson prays daily to be half as good.

    if i go with ur arguement i can also say Mascherano cant play at Arsenal too cos he plays alongside another DM in Xabi.

  22. SharkeySure

    Never said Bendy was better or worse..justa that I like him.

    Don;t get me wrong, even as his biggest fan, he gave me the shivers, bit was always willing him to do well. Toom any people scapegoat him for every singe error in a way that they don’t do with say Gallas or Toure.

    He came on against Milan for injured Toure after about 10mins in the 1st leg in 2008, and most of us thought oh fuck, I had my fingers crossed.

    He had a storming game that night and did the same in the San Siro, thats prob why Milan took him on loan.

    And if anyone mentions Drogba I’ll fucking scream

  23. Franchise

    Steve u know u only watch Arsenal. ;) U r chatting bull Alonso is a legend.

    Benitez wanting to get rid of Xabi was stupid

  24. SharkeySure

    Steve – ‘Dago…’???!!! in 2009!!! I thought everyone was past all of that nonsense.

    *putting on flak jacket and helmet waiting for your response*

  25. Pat

    Franchise, that doesn’t make sense!!! Its the type of player.Masch is a hardworker, Alonso isn’t. Without a CDM partner, Xabi isn’t that good in a team that relies on attacking, possession football.

    Melo over him any day of the week. I don’t want Alonso, at all.

  26. Steve

    No need for the flak jacket and helmet, you are right. No need for xenaphobia. I was bored to be honest, so i thought i’d wake the p.c brigade up.

    Me bad.

  27. choy

    no to alonso here too.. he is just a more mature version of denilson.

    we need a mascherano type player…

  28. Geoff

    Sharkey I don’t believe you mate, no one can rate Senderos, Song and Denilson, not all 3 and that’s why I know you only say what you say to wind us up.

    Nobody could have that little grasp of what is footballing talent, not even you lol!

    That’s like fancying Susan Boyle, AKA Biffa Bacon’s mum.

  29. nishanth

    Alonso is fucking awesome but not what we need.Denilson at this moment is miles away from reaching alonso’s level.Hez only 20 so i think its kindaa unfair to have the comparison

  30. Pedro

    I can’t believe people still defend Senderos.

    Arsene is no quitter… and he gave up.

    Milan aren’t exactly brimming with good defenders and they’ve passed…

    He is a liability… if anything, he was made to look good by the better defenders around him.

    I’ll be glad to see the back of him.

  31. nishanth

    essien doesn’t mind moving to barca or madrid.I would sell ade,diaby senderos and song if that could get us essien

  32. tomstoned

    nish mate im still thinking Denilson will be awesome…no doubt,,,,,but as you say mate abit to early yet…

  33. Steve

    So will I Pedro. He’ll save me money too. I can cut down on the pre-match Peroni if he isn’t in the squad. Although, you know that ‘aint likely to happen.

  34. Geoff

    That’s the problem, we have so many potentials but they aren’t ready now, Wenger plays them, we get agitated because they make mistakes, he defends them and they get ruined, Senderos and Aliadiere spring to mind.

    If Denilson was 23 he would be bigger, better, stronger.

  35. Geoff

    Setanta went down today, maybe that will send all the sponsorship money down quicker than a Russian hooker.

  36. choy

    denilson i thought was a creative player… but wenger seems to be turning him into a more defensive player.

  37. nishanth

    If milan played with a back 4 of

    zambrotta senderos maldini favalli
    in the premier league i doubt they will get into top 10

  38. Samir

    Orite ppl,
    If Wenger says he wont let anyone go and has identified 1-2 more targets. How much of a budget do you think we really have this season. That 13M is a load of crap….

  39. dutchman

    I think melo is nearly a gunner. AW comes with this “we will sign 1 or 2″ he said this and melo is heavily linked with us. Than that moratti who confirms that we have nearly signed melo(maybe it’s bullshit) but i think it’s not. Melo and another CB will come in and adebayor will stay. What do you think????

  40. SharkeySure

    Geoff. I don’t rate all 3. Song I do rate.

    Senderos I do like cos his attitude is spot on. Doesn’t fuck about like a lot of our players do, but he has no luck. I’m not convinced he has a future at Arsenal, which is a shame.

    Denilson. Not as bad as people say, but not good enough either, currently.

    Overall, mainly I’m trying to get across that people shouldn’t talk about these players like they wouldn’t get into their local pub sides.

  41. SharkeySure

    Dutchman …Melo heavily linked??

    Im not sure about that. In England we have a media ‘silly season’ where the papes just run with rubbish, especially when there’s nothing to report.

    Arsene operates well below the radar on these things.

    By the time the press were reporting the Vermin deal I bet it ws 99% complete. Same with Nasri last year. Then cos the guy dioesnt sign the next day, they then run ‘stories’ about whats ‘holding up’ the deal, even though Nasri was at the Euros at the time.

    We all need to be careful how much weight we give to press stories. I mean, look at Melo’s latest quotes ‘about Arsenal’..!!!

  42. nishanth

    Just noticed that gourcuff was sold for 15 million.Great piece of business by bordeaux.Not that we badly needed him but he would have been a top addition.Milan have gone nuts

  43. nishanth

    I don’t think inter will move for melo.They have cambiasso,muntari and thiago motta.They don’t need melo

  44. patthegooner

    Ade simply has to go,

    He and his agent are at it again. He is a disgrace to the shirt and to himself

  45. SharkeySure

    He might he might not Dutch. But I’m just pissed of with the fact that there is nothing too thisstory other than some shit reports where Melo doesn;t even mention Arsenal by name.

    Marcotti’s comments carry a bvit more weight…butits al avut boring for now.

    Thats just how I see it though…..I’m more concerned with who we have got.

  46. SharkeySure

    Cool BIll.
    Now find some danish quotes and translate them for us as you please.

    Lob in some made up stats and see how quickly your ‘strong rumour’ is all over the web !!

    If you can also change his Wiki to show him as 6ft 5 that will help

  47. patthegooner

    Fuck Ade and his agent,

    My real concern is that other clubs have realised that he is trouble and a disruptive influence.

    I would be happier cutting our losses on him and just getting him out of the club, if we cant find a buyer.

  48. leon

    the vibe of what i am gettingwenger is he will not be letting go any of his top players under any circumstances,so i starting to d to get very lazy his athink both toure/gallas are staying,its only trearo,senderos,silvestor he is willing to sell but ithe deems, the likes of ade,toure,gallas,clichy,sagna, which i agree with because i dont think we should selling club the only reason i would sell ade is because he has started to get lazy his attutude.it very claer wenger looking to more rufeless and tougher and he going to have to be.

    to be honest i have seen this melo player but unless he top top player that is a real leader and is the finished article then i dont think wenger go for him 15 mill he better top notch player,because song and delinson have been doing a pretty good job

  49. Samir

    I think we will sign Melo after the Confed cup, we wont be able to talk to him until it ends…
    Eventually let Senderos,Silvestre and MAYBE Ade go.
    Then sign some youngsters. e.g.Hazard+Castaignos

    What position do you think that second target of Wenger’s could be? I’m sure its not a CB as we now have:
    Gallas
    Vermy
    Toure
    Song
    Djourou

    Maybe he’s got the ACN in mind…?

  50. leon

    samir

    i have my dought that wenger will sign melo,unless this player has alot more bring delinson or song i dont think wenger sign him 15 m dm player he had better be the real deal, he cant just be someone with potential he must be proven,i also think wenger will stick with song dm position because will willing let toure/gallas go plus verm will be there

  51. Honest Bill

    I’d be surprised if he signs Melo. 15M is quite a price, Not to mention the fact that i’ve actually heard of Melo

  52. Samir

    Leon
    I believe that Melo does offer a lot more than Denison. He’s stronger, bigger and an all round better player ATM.But I do believe Denilson will be an as good/better player than Melo in the future.
    We all know our DM position is our weakest.
    I don’t think Wenger will pay the 15M for him. Maybe 10-12M+Senderos, seeing he wants to stay in Italy and Florentina are interested in him.
    But Melo certainly is worth 15M+ in my mind…

  53. Arsenal Tom

    can someone copy and paste the adebayor and anchelotti stuff please, my computer is blocked to anything with adebayor in the title!!!!!!!

  54. Samir

    The agent of Togo international Emmanuel Adebayor has revealed that the player admires Carlo Ancelotti and would happily work with the Chelsea coach after the Italian pursued his signature last summer. The Arsenal striker revealed recently that he was committed to the Gunners cause despite the increased speculation, however, with Milan once again keeping tabs on the player and Chelsea and apparently Manchester United also rumoured to be circling it appears his future is once again shrouded in mystery.

    Speaking about the latest gossip in the Italian newspapers, representative Stephane Courbis revealed to Calciomercato:

    “There was no meeting with Milan for Adebayor and lately I have not received any calls from the Rossoneri.

    “I don’t know whether Ade is for sale. I spoke with manager Arsene Wenger this morning, but he didn’t say anything to that effect.”

    With Serie A side Roma also keen on the lanky hitman, Courbis continued:

    “I don’t know [if that will happen]. I haven’t even spoken about the alleged interest of Chelsea and Manchester United.

    “The player would like to work with Ancelotti, it’s a fact because Milan tried to acquire him last year, but Chelsea have not contacted us.”

  55. Samir

    Quite interesting if you have not read it:
    Brazilian midfielder Felipe Melo will join Arsenal according to respected (if there is such a thing) British Journalist, Gabriele Marcotti. On UK sports radio station, talkSport, Marcotti claimed that Melo will join Arsenal at the end of the Confederations Cup.

    After joining Fiorentina last year from Almeria, Melo has been impressive and recently been named in Brazil’s starting squad. There has been much speculation linking Melo to Inter Milan and recently the player stated that a move was out of the question.

    Melo’s agent is supposedly in talks with the club and a tabled offer has been accepted reported Marcotti. Defender Phillippe Senderos may be used as leverage as the Italian side has expressed interest in the want-away player. Senderos has stated that he wants to stay in Italy and would enjoy a stint with La Viola.

    Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has publicly stated that he wants all transfers wrapped up and into pre-season training during July. He added that he didn’t’ want to have any last minute transfers in August right before the season kicks off.

    That said, the question is now raised…what to do with the five midfielders that are on Arsenal’s roster? There’s Song, Ramsey, Denilson, Eboue and Diaby. Wenger has stated many times that he looks for players that can immediately fit in to the Arsenal philosophy of play.

    During the last few games, Song looked to improve in the defensive mid position, but his lack of pace and mobility could present a problem if kept in that position. The others left much to be desired in a lack-luster season for the Gunners.

    Denilson is a Brazilian version of Arsenal’s caption, Cesc Fabregas. While he has improved greatly, he has yet to prove that he can handle the rigors of the Premier League weekly. Eboue, had a nightmare season, with fans calling for him to be benched and ridiculed at each game. Ramsey, on the other hand, has not really been allowed the chance to show why he was snapped up from Cardiff City.

  56. Lou

    Adebayor would like to “work” with Ancelotti. Isn’t there a contradiction in there somewhere. Shouldn’t it really read Adebayor wants to get paid a fortune by Chelsea?

  57. leon

    who ever wenger brings in going have someone with experience that i feel can mentor song/delinson and i am not sure melo fis that bill.because song will be top class with a few seasons same for delinson.because song in particuler has very very good, nand i just think wenger has has other experienced players lined up for amuch less price tag i thgink someone around 25 or more

  58. Samir

    Melo is age 25, and full of experience. Been at 7 different clubs and has Champions league experience. I see where your coming from but at 25 we COULD sell him at 29 and denilson/song could take over full time from there.

    Denilson and song would still have their chances after some rotation. Look at Liverpool they have Lucas don’t they. The same sort of player as Denilson at the same sort of age. He gets enough appearances even with Masherano there.
    But if we use Denilson/Song at DM this season we wont win much. Denilson gets pushed around too much while Song will be at the ACN for a while.

  59. patthegooner

    As long as they are experienced 25+, I dont think we should even worry about stunting the growth of either Denilson or Song. The pure fact of the matter is despite development and improvement, neither are setting the world alight and neither are 1st team quality at the moment.

    The other issue is that if we lose Cesc, we suddenly have the prospect of playing two of Diaby, Denilson and Song and that does not and will not win us anything. We dont just need a Better player to play alongside Cesc, but we need one to soften the blow when Cesc is out and vice versa when Melo (or equivalent) is unavailable. We have the numbers but we dont have the depth of quality.

    We have to put sentiment aside and face the facts. We need Melo or equivilent and if that ruffles the feathers and upsets the likes of Denilson and Song then so beit.

  60. patthegooner

    Cheers Samir,

    I have the same worry as Ethan though regarding Nasri and his confession that he might fill the DM role. Again I think this would be a massive mistake. Who knows he might turn into the worlds best DM, but he is not anywhere near that at the moment and we need ready now players and not another season long experiment to see if Nasri works there. Personally I saw enough when Anelka mugged him off and hit that thunderbolt.

    Nasri is an awesome talent but not in DM

  61. David

    I think we should sell eboue, adebayor, silvestre, Senderos, dinilson and possibly Gallas we’ve gor vermaelen then we buy either sakho, richards, bassong or taylor for defence, then we must buy 2 between Cana, Y.Toure, Melo, Veloso. We should play a 4-5-1 if we sell adebayor if we sell him i think we should look at buying Balotelli.

  62. Samir

    Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has continued his summer speeding spree by snapping up former Arsenal goalkeeper Stuart Taylor from Aston Villa. City’s England under-21 keeper Joe Hart is set to leave the club on loan, with Birmingham City favourite to sign him.

    Taylor, a former England under-21 international and a Premier League title winner with Arsenal in 2002, will serve as understudy to Shay Given.

    Taylor said: “It’s a great club to be joining and I can’t wait to start training.”

    Taylor is Hughes’ third signing of the summer so far.

  63. Samir

    He came to us when Henry went

    Eddy, Eddy

    He scored more goals than Darren Bent

    Eddy, Eddy

    He broke his leg

    But he’ll be back

    And Darren Bent

    Will Still be cack

    Eduardo Da Silva

    Arsenals number 9!

  64. ManGoonian

    “…offside and finishing school.”
    ———————————–

    Quite possibly the wittiest thing you’ve ever said Geoffrey! Good show!

    BTW, we won’t be needing an out and out winger as we won’t be playin 4-4-2… As AW says, we’ll be using the formation that best suits our players…

  65. ManGoonian

    How many bleedin agents does Ade have??? Im sure Ive seen quotes from at least 3 people claiming to be his agents?

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