Great value transfer on cards for £8… could be what we need?

by & filed under Uncategorized.

So when the Gooner review contacted me about reviewing their DVD of the 2008-09 season… I thought, jeez… that’s like asking the Iraqi people to review the ‘Magic moments of the Gulf War’ DVD special… why would I want to review the torment of last year… then I read on…

It’s for Charity!

Hooray! The Willow Foundation take 100% of the net profits… you could say the Willow foundation are profiteering from our misery, but that would be silly.

So… on that note, I got down to work. Reviewing a DVD is a pretty scary thing… I’ve never read a film review, I’ve never read the television pages… and I hate music reviews. So please bear with me on this one…

Here goes…

Paul Kaye opens the show with the line,

‘Sit down, relax and spark up a big red and white bifter…’

…that I did… I had my piece of crap scarf Arsenal gifted me rolled into a zig zag and I was on my way.

The format of the show is basically the top ten talking points of the year… there’s no video footage of goals and players… but there is plenty of opinion… it’s like watching a video version of a comments section.

So what did I think? Well… I was pleasantly surprised. Real fans giving real opinions. I don’t know why I thought it was going to be sugar coated because it wasn’t… you had your AKB’s… mostly people on the Arsenal pay roll… you had realists… mostly fans, supporter association members and celebs… and you had your experts, journo’s, ex-players, etc… It was a really good mix… mostly because they kept the AKBish talk to a minimum.. it was like listening in on a typical gooner convo you’d hear at the pub or in the stadium.

Tom Watt really rankled me… he is so AKB it hurts. He said…

‘If you think Jack Wilshere is going to be the player you hope… do you buy a player who plays in his position?’

Ok Tom… let me just inform you that we purchased Nasri (21) at the start of last season and we purchased Arshavin (27) in Jan… we’ve also got Theo (21) out wide plus Carlos Vela (20), Bendtner and Diaby (<-Snigger)… plenty of players who are competing with him… your argument is invalid. If that is your argument… why don’t we just get rid of the rest of the youth set up… and only have one age group until they all make it? Dumb idea… of course it is… like your argument for not bolstering the squad with proper players. The cream rises to the top in football… you shouldn’t have to clear the pathway artificially… that’s type of culture has go us into this mess in the first place.

He gets worse as it goes on… I don’t think I’ve ever seen ass kissing like it? I felt uncomfortable at one point… like I was watching something I shouldn’t… It’s sad when someone has job insecurities so bad they forgo their opinion to tow the company line… At least Shovell was true to his opinion despite being on wage bill.

Paul kaye said something I connected with,

‘It came to February and I thought we still in with a chance… but that’s because I’m a fucking idiot’

Hilarious.

There was quite a bit about the horror moment when a shareholder called Silvestre ‘geriatric’. I thought it was a bit rich listening to people defend Wenger on this one… he pretty much tells any player who hits the age of thirty they are geriatric by only offering a one year deal… why would he get offended when people slag off Silvestre for being old when #1 He is old. #2 He got a 2 year deal. Yes 1 more year than Bobby, Freddie, Ray, Dennis and Gilberto were offered.

I don’t want to continue to give away the good parts of the DVD… but know this my friends… this is an effing good DVD and considering the proceeds of the sale go to the Willow foundation, I think you should purchase it. It’s a proper season review put together by the people who matter… the fans!

So don’t act like Wenger, stick your hand in your pocket… pull out £8… send it over to the Gooner review and enjoy that warm feeling of doing something charitable and getting something nice in return! Like when you are on holiday and you give a kiss to the monster girl standing in the corner… at least this wont cost you your dignity!

On another note. I shared a taxi with, surprisingly… with a taxi driver. His son, who is 7 years old had apparently just signed up to the hammers for 4 years from his 8th birthday onwards. I asked him whether Arsenal had come in for him and he told me that they had… but the training on offer at West ham suited him more for now as they do it 3 times a week. He also told me that an old friend of his was heading up scouting for kids at Arsenal and that when he went to see him, Arsenal had 7 dossiers on his boy! Crazy or what? The guy said if Arsenal are interested in 4 years time, that’s where he’ll be going… Young guns… eat your heart out…

I find it amazing we have 6 dossiers on a 7 year old… but apparently there are no 23 year old defensive midfielders with tenacity, mobility and skill on the market… it’s a crazy world we live in folks.

Someone made an interesting point yesterday about player transfers… shouldn’t the manager know what he needs player wise before preseason? Wenger like to tell us that he must assess what he has in training first… well as far as I can see, he’s got all the same players he had from three months ago minus Kolo, Ade, Rosicky and Nasri… why does it take a preseason to tell him what he is lacking? Or did he have every intention of hitting the August 31st sales all along?

Finally… on the financial doping of the market. If you have a car worth £5k… and I offer £2.5k for it… you refuse that £2.5k and sell the car to another person for £5k… who has got the value of the car wrong? Wenger has consistently talked about the value of players being out of kilter with reality… well for me, maybe his expectations of value are the problem? I had countless discussions with people about the value of Alonso last year… people were claiming he wasn’t worth £15mill… now he’s gone for £30mill. Ok, that price has been slightly inflated due to the Madrid effect, but clubs like Madrid will ALWAYS be flush with cash… and there will always be a new sheikh on the block willing to buy players up like toys… plus, great players will go up in value until they are 28.

Right, on that note, I’m off to upload this DVD onto you tube! Have a rip roaring day Grovers!

P.S. We’ve been name Omniblogs blog of the week! Click here to read up about it!

716 Responses to “Great value transfer on cards for £8… could be what we need?”

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  1. Pat

    I plan to not comment on that, for every time I do, it is only speculation but I know something about it, “he says to VG Nett.

  2. John A

    We don’t even manage that KM. More like 00:15. I have a feeling that our new CB will be Frank McLintock. He’s gotta be better than fishead !

  5. KM in WALES

    WHEN’S THE CELTIC MATCH? i believe Everton will again will be competing for 4th/5th place right until the end. Man City will fall off like Villa last year because Hughes has never fought for a top4 position before and they’r squad will take a while to gel as they have bought quite a few players and Hughes will try to suss out his best formation (Arsenal?)

  7. KM in WALES

    Moyes is playing Wengers game.he knows the position we’r in and he’l try and get Princess Send-er-off as cheap as possible.Alrite lads i’m off have a nice evening all and….. An awesome night ;)

  9. ReVELAtion

    What is the best and worst that Arsenal can hope for?
    If Van Persie avoids injury, if Fabregas plays to his potential and other key players such as Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy are inspired to lift their game with the World Cup looming, they could finish second in the league.

    However, if circumstances prevail against them, if players suffer injuries and struggle for form, they could finish as low as fifth. My instinct is that they will be fourth, which would represent a great achievement given how little money Wenger has spent.

    ——————————————————-
    Why do people think finishing fourth is an achievment for our club? :?

  10. BOY BETTER KNOW

    just came across this a.k.b at it’s best,Do we sack Wenger?

    No, certainly not – the guy holds on to the thing that makes football so great. He makes it a necessity that football is played the right way, and he doesn’t go overboard with finances and he has made this big club by not being obsessed with money.

    When Arsene came in 1996, if you’d said to me that we’d have three league titles and a host of FA Cups playing great football by 2009, I would of certainly taken that.

    He built undoubtedly the greatest Premier League team from 2001-2004 by not spending ridiculous amounts like his fellow managers. The fact that Arsenal went unbeaten in 2003-04 is worth more than just one league title – it firmly nails down a legacy.

    I haven’t even scratched the surface as to why this man is just pure genius. I think he deserves our patience for as long as he likes, because I know there are some plastic Gooners on this board who would rather see Wenger get sacked.

    As long as Wenger believes he can do it, I believe in him aswell. I will never lose faith in the guy, because without him, Arsenal would of become nothing.

    Long may he continue to hold the reigns at Arsenal I say.

  11. ReVELAtion

    virign cable’s pretty good, they have been courteous enough to swap setanta 1,2 & news with espn, espn hd, espn 2 and espn classic…

    In answer to an earlier question, getting espn doesn’t give you Arsenal T.V as the channel will be unavailable for the forseable future.

  12. ReVELAtion

    I haven’t even scratched the surface as to why this man is just pure genius. I think he deserves our patience for as long as he likes, because I know there are some plastic Gooners on this board who would rather see Wenger get sacked.

    As long as Wenger believes he can do it, I believe in him aswell. I will never lose faith in the guy, because without him, Arsenal would of become nothing.
    ———————————————————

    BBK – Did you really find someone spouting this bullshit.?. You have got to be kidding me :lol:

  13. Pedro

    I find it amazing how many Arsenal blogs are trying to act like news services these days… maybe I’m just misunderstanding the idea of a blog… but I thought it was about developing a community… not trying to compete with Sky Sports?

  15. skandibird

    Question: according to Goal.com, Barcelona have been given the green light (by who???, it doesn’t say)to make a bid for Cesc!!!!!!!!, in the region off £50m??? Is the world going mad, so, should I just TOTALLY ignore the site, as they do seem to write a load of crap???/ I am getting fed up with these rumour mongers (agents/clubs), I so don’t need it at the moment with my broken arm and total pain 24/7. Come on boys, cheer me up.

  18. I AM GOONER (maqitlarge)

    I love that. With out Arsene Wenger Arsenal would be nothing. What a tool. I’m pretty sure we’ve won more trophies before Wenger came then since. But no, the AKB must be right.

    Arsenal FC est. 1996

    Its actually more like without David Dein Arsenal will become nothing. Won fuck all since he left and been we’ve behaved like mugs in the transfer market since then too! At least the man ambition even if his judgement was sometimes off. With the right MD above him, to control him, David Dein would make Arsenal great.

    so there it is. A new movement within Arsenal. I’m a DDKB.

  19. chozzer

    Cesc ain’t for sale, Skandi.
    Saw this earlier today.
    It made me laugh. Hope it does you too.

    Arsenal supporters are just lazy, gutless morons in the main. The Arsenal Supporters Trust just about sums up the whinging, cringing nature of our so-called committed supporters.

    I think that money is the problem. Too many of our supporters have too much of it. They have worked their way up a few greasy poles to become upper middle managers in corporations or are self made ‘men’ who have built plumbing empires. Those who have not achieved these heady heights certainly aspire to them. This all of course makes them Alan Sugar lookalikes or wannabees.

    The remainder have been brought up on a TV culture which trickily tries to balance a poisonous mixture of cynicism and brainlessness. One or two of these will have watched ‘property’ programmes and have deluded themselves into thinking they are in the early stages of setting up a development portfolio. This of course gives them the strategic know-how to comment not only on player formations but also business strategy.

    Brains the size of goldfish keep informing them that there ideas are original and must be communicated to the world. The world being so dense that they have to do this over and over again.

    Sadly the few children being brought into the ground are being brought up by cowardly know-it-all pricks.

    Some of the women may be our salvation, but one or two are showing a disturbing tendency to follow their menfolk.

  21. leon

    i know alot fans wanted a big beast of a defender but that worries a bit because also want defender that can hadnle pace both silvest senderos are very slow and it hard combo gel have power,phsycal presence and pace as well there very few defenders who have alround if look john terry very commanding but lacks pace,the only defender that i know that kind of mold rio ferdiand but you can he is a natural athlete,as for the top class dm players i have to say you have scratch your head and long long think on who availeble out there not to many right veria and roy keens of this world are very raer breed

  23. ReVELAtion

    christ chozzer, whoever wrote that need’s retract their nose from arsene’s arse and get back to their summer holiday school projects..

  24. I AM GOONER (maqitlarge)

    What are tehse people going to do when Wenger does actually leave Arsenal.

    oooh, I know, ritual suicide. On the Queensland Road Development. Genius!

  25. nishanth

    I think wenger will make a couple of signings.Too bad we have to start the season with song/denilson as our DM options.Its enough for us to get past everton and celtic.Hope he adds b4 the united game

  26. Pat

    leon, Sakho is faster than Rio and taller, I think.

    I’m surprised no one has gone in for him. Do managers think he is a 1-season wonder?! It was his first full season at a starter and he was brilliant.

  29. Pat

    New Fulham midfielder Bjorn Helge Riise insists his countryman Brede Hangeland would not turn down a move to Arsenal should Wenger come calling.

    Helge Riise – brother of former Liverpool man John Arne Riise – feels his Norweigian teammate could end a long summer of speculation once “a big club” makes a move.

    Hangeland only joined Fulham 18-months ago but following a solid campaign last year, some of England’s top sides have been keeping tabs on the 28-year-old.

    Arsene Wenger confirmed his interest in the lanky defender a on Friday saying: “We have had a look at him, yes. We have not contacted Fulham, not contacted Hangeland, not made our choice on him or anybody else.”

    Fulham have reportedly slapped a £15 million price tag on the player since then, but one of the man currently training with Hangeland on Norway duty has hinted the man who scored against Arsenal last August is likely to accept a proposal from the Gunners.

    “If a big club like Arsenal make an offer for him, I think he will take it. But I do hope he stays with Fulham as well.” Riise told Sky Sports News.

  30. leon

    pat

    that may be true but he not better defender,wenger wants keep to style of play with lots pace particualy in prem there are sompany qucik and powerfulplayers its not just a matter of size its power

  31. MARK GOONER

    just read this on newsnow
    nothing we all dont know already but still very true

    Arsenal fans must feel like they have lived this summer over and over again.

    I feel that we have been here and seen this before.

    Wenger has said at the end of each of the last 4 seasons that his priority would be to “keep the squad together”

    That never seems to be the case and we never seem to replace the players who have moved on.

    And then Wenger comes out and says the same thing “I have trust in this squad”

    With only 4 days till the start of the new season, we again have seen a repeat of this.

    All summer we have been linked with a host of players, Wenger comes out and gives a half hearted comment that gives us hope and then we are all let down.

    Wenger has the money this summer to spend on new players after cashing in on Adebayor & Toure. So what is he waiting for? The new players should have been brought into the squad a long time ago so they could have time to gel and play a few friendly’s and adjust to life at the club?

    So whats the problem?

    Well, i fear that Wenger and Arsenal are trying to do the same thing we always do…Trying to get players on the cheap and are waiting till the very last minute.

    Remember the transfer of Arshavin that went through at the very last minute on deadline day?

    The only problem in playing that game is that another club could come in and pay the asking price and then you miss out and with the deadline you don’t have the time to go after a different player.

    Lets look at Liverpool and the way they do things compared to us.

    They sell a player in Alonso and 48hrs later they have signed a replacement in Aquilani.

    Now lets look at us, we sold Diarra, Flamini and Gilberto last year, Whats taken so long in finding a replacement?

    I said at the end of last season that it was going to be a big summer for Wenger and he needed to address the problems, and so far he has not. If anything we are weaker then we were at this stage last season.

    And look what happened last season we got off to a terrible start and were out of the league by Dec, Only the signing of Arshavin in Feb saved our season from being a complete disaster.

    People might say we came so close, and this team has great potential! But how much longer are we going to here that?

    How many of you can hand on heart say we are going to win the league this year? Or even finish in the top 3?

    Peter Hill Wood came out last week and said that coming 4th was like winning a prize? What is he on about? If he thinks that’s good enough for a club like Arsenal then he should step down and allow a new owner to move this club forward with major investment.

    Players like Cesc,Van Persie and Arshavin need to achieve things or they are going to want to leave.

    I fear that this season is going to be the worst ever under Wenger. Lets be honest if Villa didn’t flop towards the end of last season we would have finished 5th. This season we have Man City to deal with plus a host of other clubs have improved.

    How can Wenger say that he is happy with this squad and we have a chance of winning everything? And how can the fans be fooled with the same lines over and over again.

    I love my team, and will support them till the end.

    But I’m a frustrated gooner who wants to see investment and i fear for the future of the club as i have seen this time and time again.

  32. nishanth

    Hangeland’s lack of pace is a problem.But he just might turn out to be effective.If he comes up against torres he might struggle.Against teams that just play long balls all day long he will be useful

  33. Pat

    nishanth, lets omit Hangeland from top 4 clashes then!

    Leon, Sakho is very young though. He’s already stronger than Rio as well.

  34. tomstoned

    Evenin All ..

    Great Post Pedro Thx :) …there was just news on Hangeland in the National Norwegian TV Channel NRK..where it was said that Hangeland was close to a move to us..and when asked in the interview..Hangeland was a little coy..and when asked if he knew more about the transfer…he stated i know a little more but not willing to comment on tv..

    well…seems to me like it might just happen..

    Best Regards tom

  41. Ray in SF

    Riddle me this…

    how come Vermaelen is fit enough to play in a friendly international, but not fit enough to play for his club?

    Makes one feel like the limping wing commander, father figure in a corny WWII movie…staring into the dawn light and hoping all our boys come home safely

    13 away on completely frivolous, but risk-exposing duty

    Pullis had a nice quote yesterday, if the FA picked up the salaries/insurance etc. for the players, would we have so many ‘friendlies’?

  44. incesc

    if all the transfer business is done in the last couple of days why dont they make the transfer window 7 days long???

  45. MARK GOONER

    INCESC

    its a grim as it gets being a goonert at the moment

    we are weaker now then we were 2 years ago, last year, even 6 weeks ago

    how wenger can contemplate going into new season after selling 2 (3rd on the way). 2 fresh injuries
    and no experince brought into the squad

    that agm meeting where he said he wants to add experince, wat a load of bollox

  48. Pat

    BASEL, Switzerland (AP) -Arsenal defender Johan Djourou will miss Switzerland’s friendly against world champion Italy on Wednesday because of a knee injury.

    The 22-year-old defender has returned to London to see the Gunners’ medical staff after his left kneecap became inflamed in training, the Swiss Football Association said Tuesday.

    “We don’t wish to take an unnecessary risk before the start of his club’s league season,” Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said.

    Arsenal begins its Premier League program Saturday away to Everton, and travels to face Celtic in the first leg of the final Champions League qualifying round next Tuesday.

  49. Test

    Wengers full of shit, its only now that they majority of people are seeing through his bollocks.

    We cant compete with Real and Citeh granted, we have more than enough to buy some quality players. Wenger has got it set in his mind that he will win the league with a + transfer budget, its all ego now.

    Not that I rate him but Hangerland looks like another non starter. How much would fulham want? Everton are knocking back £22m for a center half, fulham must think that he is worth £10m at least. Hes 28 which means he has no resale value, we dont buy players to win things, we are like del boy and rodney buying shit to polish up and flog.

  52. wenger's boss

    now imagine if vermaeleen is not fully fit by saturday,gallas picks up injury in international,in how great position we will be!! song and silvestre starting,denilson in middle and we lose 0-3

  53. Test

    Choy -

    Honestly if it happens I will hold my hands up and say I was wrong however if we werent able to provide £15m last year for Zapata who is young, I cannot see Wenger paying £15m for someone who at the end of his first contract will be worth £3m max.

    Resale value.

    “heres the one thats driving me beserk – why do only fools and horse work nah nah nah nah nah – nah nah nah nah nah nah”

  73. dennisdamenace

    On a more serious and disappointing note, i’ve just emailed my old chum thedudeabides this;

    We’ve been here before, haven’t we for the last three or so seasons? Before season ticket renewal time, Wenger bigs up signings of quality, season tickets are renewed, and Wenger signs no one!! However, this year we were treated to the prospect of PV04 returning, funnily enough just before the Emirates Tournament, that wasn’t sold out before, but was by the time people believed he could be returning, and lo and behold no PV04……

    Me personally, if this prick goes into the campaign with the squad he’s got at the moment we are in big trouble, and one more season like the last, and i will join the list of Gooners who will want him gone…..

    It’s painfully obvious that he’s now purely employed to make the ‘club’ money, football success come a very distant second to his and the board’s list or priorities……

  78. dennisdamenace

    Baxter – Word?? Any particular one old chum??

    goonerm – Harsh, but fair fella!! You could always give her a damn good pounding from behind and save yourself the price of a bag!!!

  79. Baxter Wall

    T%hat post should be framed Dennis. You are dead right. Somebody should report the french prick to the frigging ASA.

  80. David

    DDM you’re a better man than I am. That is fur sure….Wenger is the Spin Doctor….And we the fans are his Royal Bitches…

    Its like telling your wife the whole…I will be working late at the office for 5 years…and a faithful loving wife didnt question…until the 3rd year she smells ladies perfume…the 4th year….she finds your zipper down….the 5th year…is that lipstick? :shock:

  88. dennisdamenace

    David – I made myself a promise, that i’d wait until the transfer window has closed before i would decide whether i was for or against Wenger, but his inane ramblings, self-contradictions and down right out and out lies are making it harder and harder to remain objective and optimistic….

  93. David

    DDM we arent even rumored to be linked with anybody except numchucks and Hangeland….

    Where the whole fecking planet knows we need a Central midfield player ffs.

    What am saying is that Wenger can fart any excuse for all he cares and we the fans buy it…its the ultimate disrespect imo..

  100. xeeez

    has Arsene come out and given a return date for Rosick?
    and has he updated abt Nasri? its almost 4 weeks and se said he’ll be back in 6..

  103. Pedro

    Xeez… just imagine Rosicky coming back next year… you wont be disappointed then!

    I’ve got to go to Cardiff tomorrow… how very upsetting.

  106. Pedro

    It’s 3 hours away from my house… and I only have a 20% chance of getting any business out of the company.

    I imagine it’s like a player getting motivated to play Burnley.

  111. Keyser

    You’re looking at it the wrong way, think of it as a challenge, an away Champions League tie and the Nou Camp with loads of injuries and only 20% chance of success.

  114. Pedro

    GP, I do business development for logistics consultancy.

    It’s ok… I like being stalked…

    Baxter… so true… and violent people if my trip from the other week was anything to go by.

  121. goonerpress

    Yes it is Pedro. Will be putting some stuff up there for sale in the near future. Just a little hobby on the side of my education. Nothing major, atleast not yet.

  130. xeeez

    Well pedro abt Pak..yea it hasn’t been good but the media make things look worst than they actually are all the time..

  131. goonerpress

    Yeah should be Pedro. I don’t get to go to many but always try atleast 2-3 games a season. Im going to order the Red Membership soon and then try to make some use out of it whenever I can.

  132. Pedro

    That doesn’t surprise me Xeeez… they show a riot in a street and make you believe that’s happening across the whole country…

  133. skandibird

    chozzer – your 17:59 – thank you, yes!! it sure did make me laugh; I think I may fall under the ‘women who follow the men’ category, dead proud to do so though…..and, I have been known to watch the odd property show (or two)on TV before now….
    I am looking forward to Saturday with excitement, and hopefully with a big smile at the end of the game.

  134. TonyS

    Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrh Microsoft you bunch of FUCKING CUNTS. The new summer update has bricked my Xbox360 in the SCHOOL FUCKING HOLIDAYS. I HOPE EVERYONE AT MICROSOFT DIES OF SWINE AIDS.

  138. redallover

    Microsoft and their “Service Packs”, I updated my dev framework on my laptop which decided to reset all my Reg Keys to DENIED so everything from the internt to media player sporadically stopped working, I feel your pain TS

  141. el tel

    Got work to do till about 3 am but had to laugh at the reports coming from the England Manager, he says he will never pick Almunia for England.

    Well done that man I guess you can see how shit the Clown is. Almunia is whoring himself to England in the belief he will become an International Keeper but anyone except Wenger can see he is a joke.

    David James looks world class compared to Almunia and there are better Enland Keepers than James.

    My frustration will live on until we get a decent goalkeeeper.

    Good vibes regarding Hangelaand.

  146. luke

    and hes 6 ft 4 and has plenty of years ahead of him…gallas is off next year…not sure how many hangeland could give us and his pace is a bit concerning

  147. A

    I’d be very happy if the subotic story was true, but it’s the Daily Mail, so it doesn’t make me optimistic! They’re so anti-arsenal they’re probably trying to set up the story so that they get people’s hopes up, then come out in a day or two “subotic rejects arsenal because they’re shit”

    Never know though, hope it’s true. I’m still very dubious as to whether Wenger would ever be considering Hangeland but have to see, just wouldn’t make sense to me for a number of reasons.

  149. luke

    when your keeper is saying height is not the problem for the defence, then height is not the problem for your defence. Its that simple. We need highly concentrated and quick to react center backs, but some height definitely wouldnt hurt.

  150. Angelos

    Has anyone actually watched Subotic play? Have to say I’m clueless on the guy. Is he aggressive, technical, accustomed to a high or deep line? Classy, clumsy, what??

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