Firstly, I have to mention that I was informed by Arsenal Addict on twitter that the AST do give Arsenal representatives a roasting at the annual Q&A. Good to hear it! I hope someone asks Gazidis about the quality of entrants to the Emirates Cup this time around. Last year was pretty weak, but at least there were some players we were interested in seeing. This year, we’ve got an ageing Milan, a diabolical Celtic team and a floundering Lyon (League wise at least).
Don’t worry though… Wenger’s probably signed up the best pub teams in Austria and Hungary for our annual tour!
That’ll soften the blow.
The coach has exclusively revealed to the match day programme that he is talking to a number of players about joining before the world cup.
Call me a cynic… but this all seems a little choreographed. I’ve been informed by numerous people that club level tickets are not selling as quickly as hoped. Arsenal are actually calling people who have freshly registered for season tickets, so that tells me that their call centre has worked a majority of the 4billion long waiting list.
Just goes to show… a name on a list doesn’t mean anything. There have been countless occasions this season when I’ve had spare tickets. We get a fair few readers these days… and I couldn’t shift 4 half price Liverpool home tickets. Demand for the Emirates ain’t what it used to be. If Arsenal want to attract corporate money, they’ll have to act like a major football team.
I’m really hoping that message has been driven home by Gazidis. He is, after all, a marketing man at heart.
So who could the players be? Well, I guess the first place to look would be the reserves of Madrid and Barca.
Potential Cast offs:
- Gago
- Van Der Vaart
- Benzema
- Metzelder
- M.Diarra
- L.Diarra
- Drenthe
- Garay
- Krkic
- Yaya
- Chigrynskiy
Then I’d take a look at previous season’s near misses and strong links:
- Matuidi
- Hazard
- Di Rossi (Roma are strapped)
- Carlton Cole
- Di Maria (To replace Arshavin)
- Melo
- Chamakh (Still unconfirmed)
- Sebastian Frey
- Axel Witsel
- Subotic (Dortmund are always skint these days)
- Lloris
So, if Wenger is keen to sign fresh blood to the squad, there is an abundance of players out there available if Arsenal are keen to stretch their financial muscles.
I heard on the grapevine that despite protestations of cash richness, a certain team up North is in deep trouble financially and are taking an absolute age to pay creditors. Could free us up a bit if they’re out of the running.
Did anyone manage to catch the Barca v Inter game last night? Old Jose could suck the joy out of 3 BMW adverts! You can’t knock the man. He kept Messi quiet all game, he had his players use every trick in the book and over all, you’d have to say, Inter man for man are no where near the best… but they’re in the final. That’s what counts, right?
Tactics, experience and discipline cannot be underestimated. Jose proved once again that he is one of the best in the business. He also proved that Rome can be built in a very short time which gives me great hope that with the right signings, that could be us next year.
In other news, Le Grove has finally buckled… we’re about to accept outside advertising for the first time. Don’t worry though, it’s all for a good cause!
Yep, we’ve teamed up with Comic Relief who are backing a United Against Malaria campaign. As Le Grove has a big African following and the South African World Cup is fast approaching, we thought it’d be appropriate to agree to donate advertising space the them.
Here’s the spiel…
In the 90 minutes it takes to play a football match, 180 children in Africa die from malaria.
But malaria is a preventable disease. An insecticide-treated bed net costing £5 can protect a family for up to five years.
United Against Malaria is a partnership of footballers, charities, governments and companies backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation who have united ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa to win the fight against malaria.
Footballers including Kolo Touré (Manchester City and Ivory Coast), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy, Everton and USA) and Patrick Vieira (Manchester City and France) are backing the campaign.
Patrick Vieira said,
“The first World Cup in Africa is helping raise awareness of some of the issues that affect Africa such as malaria. I’m pleased to support the United Against Malaria campaign. If we work together, we can end deaths from malaria in countries like Senegal, where I was born.”
United we can beat malaria.
So please, click the link below, sign up and I won’t tell everyone you’re a bad person!
See you in the comments!
ptg,
Gallas is still a quality defender and may be able to be rotated with Sol (provided that they both stay) – you never know, they may actually both last the season…
still, it does not provide a player to rotate with TV…
GK, CB, DM and Chamakh is the minimum for us to challenge – if we sell Eduardo, I would bring Remy in as well…
Suga: Agree and disagree. I have made my feelings quite clear on here about Usmanov. However if someone like him took control, I dont think it is fair to say that they would be happy to keep nothing more than a successful business model. Most successful business people I know have two things. A competitive streak and an ego. I think they may well want to see on field success.
Micky,
the current board did OK as a ‘crisis committee’ required for the time of penny pinching when we built a stadium and all that – the only thing is that they should have stopped with all that construction bollocks after the flop which HS was and wait with Queensland Rd when we once again compete like we should…
as for DD: does not have to do much any longer, does he?
Apart from anything else, onfield success would be a good way to protect their investment.
DD: I have no idea, although there will clearly be people on the existing board he simply would not want to work with. A new owner could change all that.
MDI89
So long as the club earns enough to pay the mortgage on stadium = profit, investment is protected. Ambition to win is different.
when DD bought Arse shares, PHW was of opinion that it was a piss poor investment and I don’t think the old goat changed too much since and is probably a bit bitter about selling these shares for peanuts and seeing them grow in value with new blood on the board…
bnsb: protected yes, but these guys like to make their investments grow.
DD is aboard the world cup 2018 committee. Full time or not?
once again, we are lacking ambition – what we are not lacking is ‘qualidee’ and ‘mental strenghth’ as well as ‘belief in zis squad’
Worldwide fans dont care if we have been in the Champions League for 12 or 13 years in a row as Arsene Wenger likes to boast. That does not sell well.
A question for Gooner Nation:
1)Emirates pulled a fast one on us regarding our shirt and stadium naming deals. Can these be renegotiated so we be on par with heavy hitters Pool and United ?
Wrong on three accounts there Suga!
I am looking forward to the Spuds, City and Chav/Pool game far more than our game against Fulham. Tragic, but strangely, that’s also how the corporate John’s would view watching us next season. Shame really, as that’s a hefty chunk of match day revenue.
Micky,
maybe not – it’s not like we are 100% shit, there are good points, but here we are, having the same discussion as last year, no?
without further ado, I will roll my usual points forward:
- power
- pace
- presence
on choice of games:
that’s exactly what I think – and I have been going on about how easy it is to ruin a brand while building, or even worse, re building it is more lengthy process by far!
and being a PR graduate, I guess I knew what I was talking about there!
So, AW is gonna pin all his hopes on Gallas, who i’ve been reliably informed if definitely off back to France because of family problems! Therefore, he’s REALLY pinning on a player that wasn’t proven BEFORE he spent almost a whole year out injured……..mug!
*rebuilding
hello ddm
not a happy bunny, are we?
PS. Even on the extremely off chamce that Gallas stays, he’s yet again banking on a player that never completes a league season due to injuries…..
Anything to NOT spend money eh Arsene, enjoy your bonus!
rumour has it that Shrek is already shooting commercials wearing both ManYoo and Real shirts, just in case…
ddm Mornin mate
Itz the same ol shit eh.
That means next year TV5 will play 96 matches and Denilson will a linchpin.
Hi Sug, no i am not.
I was reminded last night that the list i was given is obviously provisional!! As in, none will be transfer listed, we just wait (and hope) offers come in…….
It’s fucking obvious that this club is currently run to maximise profits, jeez they couldn’t even spend £20m in January to push on, we could’ve won the league against a much weaken’d ManUre and old Chavs team, but no they’ve achieved their goals, £3m a game gate reciepts, CL footie, why WASTE £20m on winning something when that can stay in the bank, earn interest and make them their fucking bonuses…..
TV5 is crocked. what guarantee is there that he will not be another Dudu or Rosicky?
Looks like a long day of the same old shit.
Later.
ddm
We will buy maximum two to three players if we can.
Seriously, what did we need in January to push on?
All we’re doing is treading water.
why WASTE £20m on winning something when that can stay in the bank, earn interest and make them their fucking bonuses…..
–
DDM, you make a case
Ground Hog Day/Year/Lifetime this will be another shitfight of an off season with transfer rumors about every man and his dog
Question
Our “strict wage cap” is another hindrance for “world class” to come to us. Will Tevez for example come to us on 90,000 a week if Manc are fifth?
I would be more interested in rumours about who’s out from that list.
bnsb – The real worry with TV5 is that if Wenger is to be believed Wenger will be counting on him playing virtually every game!! Yet another instance of grinding our best players into the ground….
ddm
Wenger is so stubborn, he wont even rotate – pun intended.
ddm,
it’s penny wise pound foolish as they will start struggling to fill the stadium now that AW magic is no more…
bnsb
Gallas gone
Almunia gone
- Who will pay 8-10 million for Eddy
suga3
Corporate seats are paid for in advance, whether empty or not. Am I correct?
M10 – from that list?
“Strict Wage Cap”………just another fucking reason to limit ambition, this fucking management is draining the pride and enjoyment (even in defeat) i once had with my club……
Are the excuses on there way!! If clubs have money trouble then they will look to sell there players!! so his argument is not valid
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-there-could-be-no-euro-market?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arsenal-news+%28News+Feed%29
bnsb
Yea from the list
BTW Congratulations to Fulham and their fans – truly amazing!
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-there-could-be-no-euro-market?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arsenal-news+%28News+Feed%29
rob green/M10
We have the money. There is no money Euro market. Then is it a buyers market or sellers market. Go figure.
bnsb,
they are not paid more than a season in advance, it’s the renewals I’m talking about…
bnsb
What frustates me is that he keeps on sayin:
“We will buy two or three plays maximum, if we can.”
In effect is he telling us if
all big spending clubs (Liverpool, Chelsea, Man Utd,ManCity, Barca,Madrid,Milan,Inter,Bayern) and
medium spending clubs (Spurs, Villa, Everton, Sevilla, Atletico, Valencia, Milan, Juventus,Lyon,Marseille)
bid more for a CB or DM we will not buy?
What frustates me is that he keeps on sayin:
—
Whatever he says frustrates different people in many ways. sigh!
btw congratulations to liverpool and thier fans
Benitez is honest though. He said they need four or five top signings to compete.
Arsene would never say that.
gm – Dood!
Hairdressing ‘n’ stuff, yes? Do you run your own salon?
what are those wenger comments everybody is talking about.
sorry i was off for a few days
M10 – Yes, because it would make Arsene look a mug!!
Benitez is a clown, the reason he needs another five players is because the ones he’s already bought have been in the main cack….and he needs money to rectigy his fuckups!
Arsene would say something like “I will buy quickly, but its difficult to find the right price, and if i find someone who adds to the squad i will buy, maybe before the world cup, but its touch because i am not the only deciding factor”
In short always looking for a third route.
If I were the manager, i would have got rid of Denilson, Almunia, Rosicky at least and got hold of Given/Lloris/Hart, Subotic, Hazard/another proper winger), and Torres like forward.
.. and Wenger needs to rectify his fuck ups from the money we have!
ddm
good point.
When will you get a revised list for players?
he seems to say the same shite as every year. not suprised though.
the only diffrence is that he usually say one or two additions and now he said 2 or 3. i think chamakh will be the one announced before WC. and then he will sign a young player to replace gallas who i think is off.
if we are lucky a keeper too.
i don’t think he is planning on signing a midfielder
I really thought things would be different this summer, seeing as that french cunt promised he would change things if we won nothing.
I literally hate that cunt.
He is just lining his fucking pockets with a big share of that £120m wage bill.
Gooby
The problem is the majority of the fans come out and say shit like “we will win the league this year”
Or A says “I fully expect us to win the league this year”
Then we come 3rd and they say the same thing again.
Arsene is the only manager in world football with zero pressure on him to win anything, he has the easiest job in football.
We could be the Fulham of next year.Win Eurpopa cup confounding every one, OUCH!
Arsène Wenger will spend the next few weeks assessing the defensive options he will have available next season – and the manager admits that if William Gallas leaves, Arsenal will sign a new defender.
The 32-year-old’s current deal expires this summer and while negotiations are continuing over a new contract, there has been no agreement yet.
Sol Campbell and Mikael Silvestre also hold contracts that expire in the summer and Wenger admits it is important to get the balance right in the squad.
However, the manager has been boosted by the return to full training of Johan Djourou, who has been unable to make a competitive appearance so far this season.
Wenger accepts that he will have to wait and see how well the Swiss international recovers from his knee injury, but for now the focus remains on Gallas’ future.
“What is for sure if Gallas doesn’t extend his contract we have to go out and strengthen this position,” said the manager. “For the rest we will see.
“There is a cut off point for Gallas. It doesn’t depend only on me. Gallas can come and say ‘Boss we will stop the talks because I signed somewhere and that’s it’.
“I could set a deadline for us and that will certainly be before the end of May because we then have to look for someone else. We have more talks planned.
“I still have to assess the Gallas and Campbell situations. Silvestre is out of contract too and the whole package has to be right – one goes, one stays. We have to get the number right.
“If Gallas and Campbell stay it will depend slightly on how well Djourou comes back about what we will do. He looks good in training, quite positive.”
Player purchase BS in the air?
———————————-
yes its getting a bit predictable as to how wenger handles each seasons failures …
during ticket re-newals expect we are going to be adding 3 or 4 world class players ….
then we end up selling more than we get in ?!
whats the bet ? actually fuck it… i wouldnt bet with any one of you pricks
other than DDM !
So (if Gallas stays) he will go into next season just as weak defensively as this time.
40 goals conceded and 3rd/4th in the league again.
Why is he so terrified of addressing weakness in the squad?
then management sells all the season tickets…
and we really add 2 new board members
sack 1 more coach and
add 2 balls boys ..
plus sell off about 6 or 7 young ones and get rid of 2 players who WANT TO LEAVE !
and 3 or 4 who need to move on ..
the way i see it we will need about 5 -7 new players min… especially if he moves out gallas – clichy – rosicky – almunia .
so we can safely say if it happens like that project youth was a failure !
We added a whole new marketing team.
http://www.onlinegooner.com/exclusive/index.php?id=1670
ethan – i’ll have a bet with you, i’ll bet you we don’t sign a goalkeeper, a goalkeeper that would arrive to take over as first choice that is….
Ive said it before & we say it again.
We need;
- World class GK
- 2 CB’s
- World class CM
- Wide right player
- Striker
Thats 6 players minimum, not 3 you mug.
Okay I’m posting!
Erm no youre not.
You little tease………
Give us the new post you lazy bastards
Oh and morning…
i don’t expect us to win, i only hope we do.
3 players and less injuries would do it.
GK
CB
are the priorities
CM is needed but vital imo. but the most important of all is our defensive tactics, it is clearly shite
not vital* sorry
GEOFFREYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!
You writing it on a ”Speak n Spell” Geoff? Chop Chop
Fuck this, I am leaving LG for ever and won’t read it ever again, my blogging will be done on that Left Foot thingy people talk about. Goodbye, you lost me because you are late. We do not reward failure, we are not the Labour government.
Threatening doesn’t work? Might have to turn to terror.
ffs geoff
I think we should protest and when the new post goes up we all stay on this one.
We do reward failure, we are Arsenal, and failure is the new success!!
Who is this????
Sabeel returns!! I bet he hacked the site and refused to allow Geoff to post.
ddm, well put, but we are not the Arsenal board, right now we are acting as LG fans, and here we do not reward failure.
New post has been up since 9.15. Check Newsnow.
chozzer, don’t feed us lies, we have enough from Wenger, thank you very much.
http://le-grove.co.uk/2010/04/29/as-mi5-would-say-there-is-an-awful-lot-of-chatter-going-on-in-blogland/
What the fuck?
guys the new post has been up for ages, its BELOW this post.
Guys wasuuuuuuup?
hahahahahahahhahahahahhahahahhahahahhah, we will buy 1 player before june 11, Hysterical. WTF.
i think wenger going on asumtion that no one will leave and bring 3 signings to add but everyone knows thee is bound to be departures the 25 man rule now will force wenger hand,only players who contribute to team massively first of either almunia or fabianski will be sold,vela either will sold or out on loan,edwardo,barazite simpsom randall, hoyte all will be sold ,out contact players gallas silvest will leave.
i can not tell you who my source is. no i am not a spud in disgise i am a true arsenal fan have been for a very long time and no i did not say we had signed villa or di maria i only comment when i have genuine info. we will not get hart he will get hes chance at city next season while given recovers and hart will make it his own. we are seriously looking into mexes and boetang only if city dnt finish fourth coz we cant win a bidding war with city. pele is a good keeper and would do a much better job then almunia. we will defenatly get hazard for the 2011/2012 season i believe we will have coming in
pele
mexes and boetang if city dnt finish 4th if they do i believe we will get zapta
nzonzi cover for song
we may get hazard and loan him back to lile for the season
and chamakh
wellington in jan
and gilando (spelling) will join the squad
outside chance swp
pele
sanga vermalen mexes clichy
song
fab nasri
arshavin van persie
chemakh
bench: djouruo eboue boetang/zapta nzonzi wallcot/swp bendtner
and yes we are looking at balotelli
“I still have to assess the Gallas and Campbell situations. Silvestre is out of contract too and the whole package has to be right – one goes, one stays. We have to get the number right.”
So basically that is sounding like Chamakh is the only one coming in, and if Gallas leaves, then he will be forced to bring in another CB.
Djourou is the “1 in and 1 out” for Silvestre.