First of all, one of our dumped players called one of his suiters Beyoncé, then the other one talks about loving a woman and how he feels loved, the strange thing is neither of them mention their salaries being doubled. Odd that, them leaving for footballing reasons and those of love, I thought we played the best football, I also thought we had the best manager in world football, I can’t comment on the love bit so I’ll have to give them that.
Anyway enough on those two, Arshavin came out and said that we need to repace Kolo, he said that Vermaelen was good but can’t be expected to step in and replace a pillar in defence, so he’s good, but not that good. What does Arshavin know? The last thing we need is new players.
So now we all know that Arsenal are a selling club, we at least should stop complaining that we don’t buy players, the boss has said buying quality players is not the answer so that’s it then. No argument from me. I get bored with signing great players, I like to see the younger ones trying their best, because they are, well young, one day they’ll get good and then we’ll sell them and add to our vast collection of money.
At least we have stopped being Barcelona’s feeder club, Manchester City hold that title now, I wonder who they want next? I think we’ll have to wait until Christmas to find out though, I’m getting excited already.
I’ve now replaced that exciting feeling of buying a new player with that of selling a player, try it yourself, it really does work, oh and the return of injured players. So when they get injured, I get all warm inside as I know I’ll only have to wait a year before they come back as a new signing. It’s like a signing in progress.
Gael Clichy is out of the season opener as will be Rosicky (no doubt) – still when they do come back it will be like having two new signings, so I can’t wait.
At least we’ll start the season at the top of the table, so make the most of it Grovers.
We have been known here on Le Grove to whine and bitch about the club, it’s direction and the choices the manager makes, well not today, today I am going to get behind the management and agree with their philosophy, after all it has been said that buying payers is not the answer, training hard is.
And yes, before you ask, Ferguson, Ancellotti, Benitez, Capello, Hughes and all the other managers than run or have run big clubs are completely wrong.
I will wait for the season ticket rebate as the club have been given £50 million by Man City and haven’t spent it so I guess they will give it to us to lessen the pain of paying more than anyone else and getting least back. I know that sounded like a bitch, but it wasn’t, they will do it won’t they?
A final point but has anyone else noticed that since David Dein has left, we’ve sold more players than we’ve signed and we’ve won nothing, coincidence?
Have a great day and don’t forget, Arsene knows, he’s got something up his sleeve and we’re going to win the league.
How’s that, positive enough?
P.S. Check out the competition we’re running in the side bar —> A free Sony Ericsson WE995 (Worth £500) if you answer the question correctly and get drawn out of hat! What a deal! Sony sure are a great company, probably the kindest I know of… ! Apparently the winner of the comp gets the chance to win tickets to every game of their countries world cup campaign as well! What a prize… well, not if you are from the Cayman Islands or Mordor? Anyway… send your answer in!
He broke a toe at Milan and thus never got a run of games until towards the end of the season. And by then it was too late to convince Milan he was worth keeping.
And they got Onyewy on a free so im not shocked they didnt want Senderos as he would have cost them.
What puzzling though is he never really made it at Milan, I thought he would find a good home there and make a name for himself. Shame for him.Doesn’t that tell you something?as for vidic looking average in that game,he’s just won the league and the year before that won the double so i do think he will be losing much sleep over that one
Well Stu has an answer to my question bbk so I guess look above. I would have still thought milan would have seen enough of him to keep him, he seemed ideal to me in their setup. Also, we are rating a mistake in a match BBK, it is hardly all Sendy’s fault we did not win anything when he was with us nor can Vidic be given all the credit for Manure winning trophies. My point was all CBs will make glaring mistakes at times, and that is a fact no matter how you cut it.
Trust me am not a big Sendy fan, but as a backup I am willing to keep him if we must.
Onyewu is pretty similar to Senderos so I can see that reasoning of getting him on a free. He is a big slow lump that will make the occasional glaring mistake but for the most part is willing to get stuck in and give it his all.
.
Of the six remaining Arsenal centre-halves, you can write off four. Mikael Silvestre is past it, Philippe Senderos never had it while Johan Djourou is not so much an accident waiting to happen as one that has already taken place. Alex Song is a midfield player who fills in at centre-half in emergency.
This leaves Vermaelen and William Gallas. An injury to either and the Gunners are right back in the cart.
Of Vermaelen, one Ajax regular said: “He’s an intelligent, dedicated footballer. The main concern is he continues to make the same sort of mistakes he made when he first came into the side five years ago.”
Sounds like the identikit of the modern Arsenal centre-half…….the writing is on the wall.
sounds correct to me
Who wrote that BBK?
I would agree with all of it except the Senderos part (obviously). He hasnt “never had it”. He was once a great defender when he first broke into the team. SO good so that he got the name swiss Tony and he cemented a place in the swiss defence and quickly established himself there.
Senderos is a lot better than Hangelannd so its funny people are so fucking obsessed with Hangeland.
I also believe Wenger will be scouting some players at the Emirates cup, particularly Sakho, Hoarou, and the young Spanish CDM that plays for Atletico(Camacho I think).
WEren’t we after Chantome as well from PSG last year. I remember being linked to him and Coquelin and we got Coquelin but missed out on Chantome. I don’t know about Sendy better then Hangeland Pat. I can’t hardly see Hangeland put a foot wrong in the games I have seen. He is very assured and positionally much stronger then Sendy imo. He makes a lot of interceptions as well and reads the game better then Phil imo.
*can
Plus I know the point of Fulham beig defensive will come up now, whichever way you want to frame the argument though, the leading CB of any team however they play gets a lot of credit for having clean sheets and a good defensive record, and Cottagers definitely had that last term.
lazer it’s because hangeland doesn’t have to have any positional sense, as fulham play so deep and defensively that he can’t get dragged out of position! Same with interceptions, it’s easy for him, because all the play happens in front of him, it’s impossible to get in behind him because he’s rarely further forward than his own box! In our team with a high line Hangeland would struggle, just as in Fulham’s team with an incredibly deep line, Senderos would excel imo
He also plays a lot deeper than Sendy LAzer. Fulham play sich a deep defence that there isnt much space thus Hangeland would have to defend less space and look better than Senderos who would have the whole of our half to defend.
i agree about scouting lazer, though i think the ship has sailed with sakho unfortunately, as we’ve now got vermaelen who’s left footed i can’t see us bringing in another young left footed centre back as they wouldn’t be able to play together.
why chantome – did you not hear apparently matuidi sigged earlier but just being kept quiet til monday….
I anticipated that one fellas. I know you have your point and I see it as well. Essentially it means then there is no traditional CB that would work in our setup is what you are telling me. So basically we need a guy who is 6’2, fast as Gallas or Toure in his prime, can head the ball and get stuck in and has positional sense like Adams. Since an ideal CB like that would be virtually impossible to find we must then make do with Gallas and Vermaelen as a pairing who we know will be weak from set plays. I don’t think this obsession with a highline is effective then if it exposes the defense so much. Maybe if we had a big beast sitting back a bit it would help, like a Ferdinand.
LAzer, Ferdinand isnt a beast. He is big but not the ball winner. Vidic is that defender while Ferdinand is the sweeper who uses the ball better. Its just a coincidence that he is very big too.
I wouldnt be too bothered if our defence dropped about 10 yards deeper because the last 4 years have shown that the highline doesnt bring success. But if we did that then the whole attacking system and such would have to be changed as well and theres no point starting all that all over again.
Yeah I saw the news A, was just mentioning we had looked at Chantome last term. So who else could Wenger be scouting from the visiting teams?
And going back to the Sendy bit, if that is the case, that basically Wenger has decided we need 2 sweepers not a CB and a sweeper or two CBs then Sendy needs to be moved on and we need another modern time Sakho-ish defender that has pace AND power.
I dunno Lazer, the high line isn’t because it’s a way we think will be defensively strong, it’s because it’s necessary for our whole game, the attacking play. The whole team plays really high up the pitch, so we can move the ball quickly and hit the opposition fast when we get the ball, rather than starting off deeper, so that they always get a chance to get back into position before we attack.
I think Vermaelen will be very strong in the air, and it’ll be interesting who (if anyone) we sign defensively. Is this subotic fellow fast?
I just feel pretty worried about throwing a new recruit into the deep end with Gallas as his partner and expect too much. I think even Arshavin echoed that concern. Vermaelen might be good, and kick on, but he will have growing pains no doubt.
I think Wenger shouldnt take the defensive side of football so lightly tho. I know arsenal are all about atacking football bla bla bla but even Wenger has to see that our last 2 trophies and our CL final season were because of the defence.
(FA cuo 0-0 amazing defence, prem 04 best defence, CL best defence).
Attacking gets the plaudits and looks the best etc but without a solid defence you win fuck all.
Yeah I understand the highline concept, and it does make a difference in possession play no doubt. Barca had Marquez, Puyol, Pique as top three CBs last term and they are all a bit more mobile then your average CB in England. (as a side note, Puyol is an absolute cunt and I can’t stand his game). That’s why I can see Song as a longterm solution in our system. He is not the most mobile, but more so then a big lump, and does not have the best passing but more so then your average CB. Plus the more he plays at DM it will actually help if he settles at the back longterm imo.
I always find it the same in every team game normally, “defense wins championships/trophies.” And Wenger neglected that far too much in the past few years, lets hope he sets that aspect of the team right at least this time around.
Puyol and Marquezs time at Barca is almost up imo. They need youth and oace at the back and both of them are the wrong side of 30. Puyol so much so that the prefered him at right back in the CL final even tho it meant Yaya in defence.
I know it worked for them but still. If he was that good in the middle they wouldnt have moved him to the right, regardless of his versatility.
Just checked on wiki. It says Puyols positions in his career have gone like this:
Keeper – striker – defensive midfielder – right back – central defender.
He has moved around quite a lot.
All I want to say is Le Gaffer had better be about to buy. For those who live by the saying “In Arsene We Trust”(an American style motto), well if he doesn’t purchase with the newly found funds, all that trust could be out the door coz he will have been spinning a big load of bollox just to keep the fans @ bay about “no funds” stops him from buying
Well here is a old British Bulldog motto with relation to the state of affairs 1/8/09. If Le Prof don’t buy this will have to be the catch cry if we are to win The League “Never was so much owed by so many to so few” Coz The Arsenal are about to enter their own Battle of Britain. Hows that for a history lesson Geoff
American style motto?? where do you get that from GG…they hang a bloody banner of it at the emirates and I hardly think those are americans there. Plus here is the real banner we should have hanging…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41022983@N06/3774728560/
If the “in wenger we trust” banner is up tomorrow one f us grovers going should tear it down or add a “?”.
Anyone see the last press conf?? God sometimes it is so easy to hate Wenger and his web but boy does he spin it effectively. He was class in the press conf and pretty much refuted every point effectively. The bit about Manure not beating a single top four club or beating a top ten club once but having 16 wins at home was a valid point. I guess it is all about how you frame the argument, Arsene is the absolute best at that, we had a post on here about that subject little while back.
No stu – every player and wenger should have their name sung as loud as possible and every type of banner supporting them up high!
Yeah i watched it earlier lazer, he is very good in those situations, witty too.
Wenger’s reaction when asked about the reception ade and kolo will get made me laugh, he couldn’t help smiling, he knows ade will get booed! Also the naismith and scottish players questions
One thing that wasn’t asked in the press conference was whether vela will feature over the weekend – i’m guessing probably not, though you never know.
A, im all for supporting the team. But we shouldnt have banners that suggest we are happy with the current situation. We arent in meltdown or some shit like that but going without trophies is a failure at a club your size and to be anything other than un happy with it is unacceptable imo.
And Ade wont be booed, everyone of his touched will be laughed at.
Probably not am assuming, would like to see Vela though but Wenger hardly ever rushes players after internationals You know A, I wish more would just buck up and pay the 4.99 a month, atleast that way nothing is lost in translation and you get it straight from the horses mouth, no interpretation needed. The Naismith comment was class, haha, he looks to the side and says “who?” haha and then tells the scottish bloke its his fault they haven’t trialed more Scots for Arsenal.
Yeah but we should want to actually have good fans, fans can genuinly make a difference, lift the players. Players won’t respond by people showing they aren’t happy with the situation. When the team and situation is at it’s very worst is when the fans should be the loudest.
I felt sorry for poor Bacary though, fellow looked quite nervous sitting next to Wenger.
So is matuidi coming?
Yeah lazer, most fans whine like anything, but won’t pay the 3.99 a month, as they’re much happier believing the way the media twist wenger’s words so you never actually hear what he said, but just the media’s deliberate misinterpretation of it. It suits alot of people much better because then they can talk about Wenger lying, and various other things that it gives them a chance to attack Wenger and the club.
I wouldn’t mind as much if it was just an ignorance because of having no way to actually listen to things from the horses mouth and hear the actual truth, but it’s the fact fans are really opinionated, and don’t give a shit about hearing the actual truth, even though they have the chance.
Has Arsene changed the age bracket to recruit players?
AA is above 25yo and so is TV. Those linked with us so far are Chamakh, De Rossi are all in that bracket.
Just a thought though.
A, im all for getting behind the team. Cheering as loud as possible for as long as possible etc etc but when Wengers sees signs like those he must think everyone feels the same and are happy to wait until things finally work out. I just dont like that.
Ha yeah he did Lazer, it felt like Wenger was an English teacher, and he was just testing Bacary’s English.
Stu – Wenger’s whole life is the football club, he lives and strives for success and cares as much as any fan, he’s already doing everything in his power to be as successful as possible, no banner is going to make him try harder or less hard to succeed.
Just Stick it in vermaelen is 23
Vermaelen isnt 25, he is still only 23.
Stu in all honesty I think Wenger is a bit beyond that at this point. I think perhaps he may be deluded from our perspective but definitely wears blinders on in regards to the opinion around him. That is maybe a bad trait but as a manager you have to have a thick skin. Fergie is similar in that way as well, so is fat Rafa and Mourhino and others. Gene Hackmen on the other hand came under pressure from fans and the media and is coaching in friggin Uzbekistan or something now.
But you see my point.
If things are going badly, worse than in a long time and someone sayd they have faith in you and your ideas then it will make you feel that what your doing is working.
Wengers plan is likely to work, theres only 1 more year of this if it doesnt work. But if he thinks we are happy to wait then he has it wrong imo. Patience is one thing but 4 years with nothing is hard to take.
Ya I know what you are talking about A. If I had to write a post for the grove it would focus on us, a bit like man in the mirror-ish. Sometimes I will read things on blogs including this one and there was a time it was a shocker to see opinions formed based on pure conjecture or misinterpretation or just the lemmings effect but am pretty de-sensitized to it now. People will always have there own personal twists on everything, its the nature of the fan I suppose.
Yeah true LAzer. But Wenger will see the good and maybe not the bad…until the meeting with the shareholders.
Like the opposite to BBK and Jimbo who only see the negative.
No i disagree Stu.
Wenger will feel like it’s working depending on the performances on the pitch, and only performances on the pitch.
The fans wouldn’t and shouldn’t affect his opinions about whether what he’s doing is working, or any football related decisions, even 0.0001%, and I don’t think they ever would be able to. If any manager did have any decisions influenced by the fans, then they aren’t strong enough to be a manager.
Ya I agree with you Stu. I think A is a very unique, loyal, and honorable fan but not AKB-ish. There are not many like that and for the most part if the fans have been so patient they definitely have a right to make there emotions felt now. But I think there was a fair bit of that last term, the booing of pinky and eboue comes to mind as well as constant groans and moans when we would lose the ball or have a bad spell in a home game. Plus add the now infamous spat with Wenger I think the message was pretty loud and clear (atleast I hope so).
Well if the banners dont affect him or the then why are they there?
Anyway, im moving on because you arent budging on this!
Yeah Lazer, but it saddens me that the media come out with bullshit, completely twisting a quote, and the fans are outraged, but then it’s revealed the actual truth, but half those fans stay outraged, and just ignore the real situation.
I genuinly couldn’t believe it when I transcribed the Q & A word for word, and people still went on and on about Wenger this and Wenger that, when the truth was right in front of them. Even when you explain to them the truth, and show them the exact bit that the story was taken from, and how it was misinterpreted, they choose to just ignore it.
I genuinly couldn’t believe it with the Q & A, and I know it isn’t that so many are too stupid to think rationally, but they just choose not to, I’m not sure why. Surely they can’t like being pissed off about things?! Or maybe it’s a good way to release negative energy.
I think the most fans can do is perhaps not tell the manager what is wrong or right specifically or insult a particular player (I mean they can but he should not listen if a good manager imo), but tell him they are displeased. That is a definite right A, I think you will agree. And I think the fans did that adequately last term. They need to convey the message we will not blindly follow you off a cliff and you need to properly earn our hard earned wages.
They will affect him as in make him feel lifted or not Stu. Fans can make someone feel good, or feel shit, but no manager would ever be so weak as to let that have one iota of an impact on any decision he made. Wenger is going to make every decision based on what he feels is best for the club, and what the club needs. All the fans can achieve is lifting him, and the team, or bring him and the team down, and having a negative impact on everyone connected to the club, which is what happened at times last season.
I dunno A, am with you there man. Like I said am pretty de-sensitized to it now. I just let most have there opinions as they are entitled. Sometimes the funniest comments on here are during games. I try and stay away cause I want to jump in and start typing but then I would miss the game which say 5000 times more precious. Its remarkable how we will pick apart even the slightest error yet would not even think that it would occur in the best side in the world as well. i guess Arsene has made us all perfectionists in a way. I wonder how a Stoke fan, or a Fulham fan sees us. Probably as ungrateful bastards whining about the slightest things.
I disagree Lazer. No player is ever going to be picked or not picked, or bought or sold, depending on the fans.
At home the fans should always support the team 100%, unless things are going really shit so the manager needs to be sacked.
If that isn’t the case, then the fans need to support absolutely every decision, and every player, in every game, to give us the best chance of winning games.
Last season it became a negative playing in front of our own fans, and that’s a really sad state of affairs, and a really sad representation of the quality of our support imo. When our fans become a negative rather than a positive, and we’re more likely to perform away from home because of it, things have gone very wrong.
Things are far from perfect at the club at the moment, but in terms of my anger towards sections of the club, i’m not angry in the slightest at any of the remaining players, nor wenger, because i know that even though they don’t perform at times, and Wenger makes decisions that I disagree with, they’re doing it all because they’re trying 100% to do what is best for the club. Large sections of the fans are damaging our chances of succeeding, and aren’t acting in the best interests of the club, and that makes me very angry, and sad at the same time.
I agree with Stu on the banners though. It is good to trust your manager, after all what else can you do, but banners convey a message and say a banner said we want a trophy and you need to stop the rot instead of just in arsene we trust it would be a glaring statement by a dissatisfied fan.
Shizen didn’t realise the time, I’ve gotta be off.
Been nice chatting lazer/stu, take care!
Yeah but Lazer Wenger is one of us, wenger wants trophies, wenger wants to stop the rot. We should have the mentality that we’re all in it together, but instead a large number of fans who desperately need to find someone to blame turn on the manager, and there is no way anything positive can come from that.
Anyways, nite people
For the most part we are on the same side of the debate A, fans need to be supportive but where we disagree is that it can only be up to a degree. I understand your point of creating an atmosphere but fans are human after all and will react to what is happening on the pitch no matter what. To expect everyone to show up with blinding support after showing patience for a long time is too much to ask imo.
nite A. good debating as usual.
right that’s my cue Stubin..am off. laters fella.
Both off at once huh. Night A and LAzer…………..
LAzer
In God We Trust, isn’t that American?
Aussie Grovers, how are we all?
I wish we’d just sign someone alraedy… or 2 signings. has wenger ever signed 2 people in the same day? lol
Sorry guys, tried to work up a theory there on the recruitment policy. My bad.
I read someone said that we can’t play two left-footed CBs together. Um, if we play two right-footed Cbs then why can’t we?
when is the new post geoff?
Arsene Wenger last night opened the door for Patrick Vieira to make an emotional return to Arsenal.
Wenger is thinking of resigning Vieira on a free transfer from Inter Milan on a pay-as-youplay deal, as revealed in Mirror Sport.
Vieira wants to come back to the Premier League to secure a place in the France World Cup squad and Wenger is ready to offer him a short-term contract with maybe a coaching position in the future.
Wenger admitted he still speaks to Vieira regularly and the 33-year-old veteran could bring some much-needed experience to his young squad.
Wenger said: “I am aware that he wants to come here. Patrick is a legend here and he would always like to come back. That would be his first choice.
“There is a football decision and there is a psychological impact on a player of that stature that could come in.
CDM would be solved, for the short term. Now get Huntelaar & then look out, here we come. Just tese simple deals with money in bank would make all the difference to fighting for glory as against fighting to holding ground. Just Do it!!!
Zak new post is at 9, Gnarley you will like it!
Pedro, interesting Joel should ask that question last night, he’s the same sort of twat that says ‘ you wouldn’t say that to his face, would you?’
They obviously don’t know me do they!
I’ve changed my mind, we don’t need any replacements to be bought in! Wenger just said they squad have been working hard and that we have stability because the team hasn’t changed! That’s fine then!
And my real take on it is that Wenger is being a prize cunt yet again! The squad are working hard? I should fucking hope so! Were they not working hard last season? Stability because the team hasn’t changed? You’ve just sold a starting striker and starting centre back!! HOW AINT IT CHANGED?
And as for the prick saying balance is the most important thing to have in the team….well…you don’t have a defender that can head the fucking ball you twat so how balanced is that if we can only compete on the floor!!
Wenger is a cunt. End of. He’ll be an even bigger cunt if he signs Chamakh because that kid is not better than Bendtner and Vela? And is Wenger against player killing? Fucking hypocrite!
Oh, morning all!
http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/08/01/1415668/claude-makelele-tips-inters-patrick-vieira-for-arsenal
TAIG..I think wenger will spend and make the right signings.
Tony I think Numchucks could be good in our team, much the same as Vela and Bendtner.
I think he may ignite like Henry did. I agree with most of the rest though, especially the bit about training hard!
He might bring in chamakh.That might be a mistake.But other positions i think he will find the right players
new post!
what is the time?
We are now probably in the most critical few weeks in Arsenal recent history. Why? If arsene does NOT buy a DF midfielder AND a 6ft plus CBack and we then lose to Celtic, well I would not like to be in Arsene’s shoes. the calls for his sacking will be horrendous. I will NOT be one of those calling for this as I believe he is a fantastic Manager and have full confidence in him.
He is however the most stubborn manager in football. His board have said he has the funds. Patrick V. is available for pennies, and also has the $40 million in transfer fees he can buy .
Sorry Arsene, I think your great but if you do not buy then I will not be sorry for you and the amount of calls for your sacking as you will have brought them upon yourself. Unfortunately I get the feeling you will not buy !
An Irish /Barbados Arsenal fan for over 40 years.