Good morning Grovers! I hope you all took time out to read El Tel’s early morning rant, superb effort there, I hope you’ll all agree!
Onto today!
First up, it appears Carvahlo has moved to Madrid for a reported £6million. Jose’s first signing from England this term and a nice piece of business considering the defence they have over in Madrid. I mention this because it has a three-fold meaning.
Firstly, just because a player is over 30, it doesn’t mean you have to release them for a free transfer. Arsenal seem to be very keen to control every penny when buying a player, but when releasing a player who has earned staggering wages over the length of their career, we’re shouldn’t be so happy to let them go for a free. Pires, Sol Campbell and William Gallas all spring to mind when I think of players we’ve let go for nothing out of love.
Secondly, it’s exciting to see that Chelsea do appear to be falling apart. They’ve lost nearly all of their pre-season games and now they’ve arguably let their best defender go, not to mention their captain has lost all his pace and confidence. I’d love to think it’s over for them, but they’ve got deep pockets and no doubt a £20million signing will come in.
Also, as one of the Grovers pointed out last night. Chelsea bought him for £20million, sold him for £6million and had 6 seasons out of a player who brought them huge success. All for £14million. That’s a good deal and shows you that buying top quality for a large fee can bring rewards.
Man up Arsene and take the plunge with a great keeper like Reina, you seriously can’t lose.
Our squad is looking exciting in a tragic kind of way for the Liverpool game. For the life of me I can’t understand how Wenger can have any justification for leaving Robin out of the Liverpool squad when he had nearly the whole of last season to rest and catch up with his friends and family.
Though Cesc had more of a season, he still had March and May to recover when he wasn’t playing for Arsenal. Factor in he played about 26minutes during the world cup. I can’t for the life of me understand the logic in risking the opening game of the season by fielding a HUGELY inexperienced side.
For starters the psychological blow would be terrible and kicking off a league campaign with a loss against a hungry Liverpool side isn’t going to do us any long term favours, especially when confidence is clearly so fragile in this group of players.
There are big worries about Frimpong in the Le Grove comments section. People who’ve watched him regularly for the youth team believe he has great potential but they have zero trust in his ability to stay disciplined, to control Liverpool’s attacks and to make accurate passes. This was news to me, but the Legia Warsaw game hardly filled me with confidence. Roy Hodgson is doubtful to field a team capable of conceding five… us on the other hand, well, you just never know!
With only a few days before the season kicks off, I thought I’d draw you a to an interesting point that kind of rams home a something Geoff and I have tried to communicate over the past few seasons.
People talk about the ‘bigger picture’ when trying to justify our lack of spending and investment in the first team. I understand we’ve got debt to pay off, but the fans were never told the intention was to pay the mortgage of in 6-7 years so the board could make maximum revenue when selling the club.
Le Grove isn’t fussed about how much money the shareholders make despite Geoff owning some shares. What we’re worried about is the long-term revenue streams of our club. More specifically, the revenue you make from your future fans. How draw these people in?
Well, firstly, you ensure all new fathers have the guts to force their children into supporting the mighty Arse. I know that was my fate. No Christmas presents was the threat… the confiscation of food and water is probably the tipping point.
What about the dad’s with no gumption? What about couples where football isn’t a priority, you know, scrabble on a Saturday afternoon types? What about the dreaded dads who support ‘football’, or like… *cough…rugby? Who are their kids going to support? I’ll tell you who… whichever team is winning the most. Whichever team has the most exciting players. Whichever team all the other kids are supporting in the playground.
You might say we don’t want those types of fans. Well, I’d tell you to grow up with that kind of attitude. There is a reason that kids like crappy pop music, it allows them to fit in and gives them an easy ride at school. At the moment, I can assure you, kids who support Arsenal will probably be getting a ribbing. My girlfriend knows nothing about football, bar Arsenal don’t win anything… she gets a right hander everytime she says it, but that’s besides the point (Jokes…).
If you want to secure future revenue streams, you have to invest in something other than 17 year old kids. Making superstars shouldn’t be a 5 year process. It should be a 1 season process like it used to be. Just back up this point, I found article on shirt sales and I’ll give you the headline figures.
2007-08 – Adebayor, Robin Van Persie, Cesc Fabregas
2008-09 – Fabregas, Walcott, Robin Van Persie
2009-10 – Arshavin, Fabregas
So what does this tell you? Well, it tells you that this is the first season out of five that we’ve lost a bit of pulling power with the youngsters. We’ve never been a team renowned for shirt sales, but I’d bet you a fiver we had more in that top ten back when we had great players all over the pitch. It tells you that regardless of what you think of Arshavin, the guy is a superstar and kids love him. It tells you that the Walcott kids books don’t do him any favours even with a world cup coming and that £6ok a week hasn’t seen the expected return.
Kids are fickle, I mean, having Adebayor on your shirt after one good season despite his lack of talent shows you what a top striker can do for your shirt sales. Is it any wonder that in a season where none of our forwards scored more than 15 goals, we don’t manage to have a striker in the top 10 for shirt sale? That says that kids don’t buy shirts on potential (Theo shirt sales exploded on the back of the Croatia hattrick)…
So what’s the on cost of Wenger not spending? Why doesn’t anyone see the bigger picture there? Why is a team that boasts the 2nd most exciting brand of football in the world not more represented with shirt name sales and shirt sales in general?
Are the people looking at the bigger picture actually looking at the smaller picture?
P.S. Schwarzer has put in a transfer request. No source, but it wouldn’t surprise me!
Suga3
You must be joking. He has ze belief to play week in week out in ze premier league doesn’t he? twat.
Why does Terry get booed but Rooney doesnt?
Rooney was the oaf who swore at fans on camera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffCmFDzaYyQ
not joking at all dude – Poland play Cameroon:
http://www.iraqgoals.net/11166-poland-vs-cameroon-.html
the half will be over in some 8 minutes, you’ll see the goal then…
good assists by Walcott
@ work Suga
Internet history and all. But it will get repeated over and over and over on youtube.com
walcott looks very sharp for england, just beat a man and pulled it back perfectly for johnson to smash it over the bar.
superb from our number 14
why can’t we play emma byrne in goal?
for the same reason one’s aunt can’t be one’s uncle
A&N
Because the fans recognise Rooney is our only WC player and our only hope.
Also Terrys just an unlikeable essex chav.
i must say its a lot of fun watching england again so soon after the world cup.
COME ON HUNGARY!!!
its shocking – but England are playing well….they’r actually playing the ball on the floor!
How comes Ashley Cole can get forward much better than Clichy, yet also be much better defensively than Clichy?
InCesc
i hope walcott does the same consistently for Arsenal
even the dutch reserve goalie is much fuckin better then our famous duo, ffs
Gambon, you can replace “Clichy” with any other LB’s name and its still true. He’s the best LB in the world.
i’m not impressed by France though….v.dull match
really looking fwd to seeing Wilshere play alongside Walcott – the Arsenal connection
townsend just said walcott cant always drop his crosses on a sixpence.
Dzsudzak is a good player. We were linked with him before. Explosive shooting and free kick taking ability
Looking forward to seeing Wilshere score on his debut!
reading the match report, it sounds like Walcott is having a blinder today.
So far England look most threatning through the wings primarily Walcott – they need to keep possession in midfield – Gerrard and Lampard cancel each other out
Remy’s missed a sitter
joe hart has dealt with a couple of crosses well, loely punch earlier.
arsene, seriously lets offer 25 million for him.
come on jacky
wow 2 goals in 3 min at Holland Ukraine … 2 cracking shots, 2 cracking goals
Let’s get us some of that Jagielka…
a decent bid should get him… come on Walcott, Gibbs and Wilshere… start talking up the Arsenal to him… and mention his DNA
what does drop a cross on a sixpence mean.
Joe Hart has never done anything other than impress me.
I want to not rate him cos hes young but he looks the real deal.
townsend and the rest of those those muppets dnt know how to play proper football…they’r the ‘get stuck in’ crowd…..i like Ray Parlour as a commentator.. he talks sense and isn’t sensationalist/wind-up merchant like most of them are from Talkshite & Skysports
Wenger and spend £25m???
Gambon, he’s got a presence about him unlike a lot of other young keepers.
it means crossing very accurately.
realistically i dnt think ManCity need to sell Hart/Given. They’r not really short of money and would want Hart as backup to Given. Have to say that is an amazing depth in GK.
KM
The dagenham accent doesnt go down well on tv.
Rooney isn’t in the game……he’s just not clicking with this team…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjZCwuXxQOs
KM
That isnt the point.
Hart needs to be playing. If he isnt he will ask for a move (to Arsenal).
If Wenger wants an improvement in goal on the cheap, I have seen some supremely fat asses at the beach this summer that would cover at least half the goal.
Romford Gambon… not that there’s a marked difference in the calibre of person! haha!
Ray Parlour is usually on in the evenings – i think either on Radio 5 or on Talkshite, but the guy who he is usually on with also talks sense as well. The other lot are a bunch of retards
@km…
they don’t need to sell but Given and Hart have both expressed they were not happy to be 2nd choice…
Right
Whoever lives closest to Wembley get down there and put an Arsenal shirt on Hart & Jagielka…asap!
Gambon
but he’s not going to be asking for a move yet….ur looking at the nxt transfer window. Whichever keeper loses the battle to be no.1 will leave.
Cesc starting 4 spain..
Wenger doesn’t want to screw schezny though.
Gambon
lol @ 20.43
That Argentina goal was offside,cheating cunts.
Chop-Seuy
that takes the piss really – he’s a doubt for Sunday and he’s playing 2day – Cesc should be forced to play
How is that Hungary’s keeper who looks like he stole his kit from a homeless person inspires more confidence than our motley crue?
cesc starting
you couldnt write this shit
Zeus
yep thats the problem.
Imo we should get a GK in his early 30′s who our young pole can take over from in 3/4 years
Theo MoTM at the half… England’s most dangerous player
Cesc playing for Spain. Fucking cunts.
SUGA, what was the 2nd Cameroon goal like? I don’t watch Poland anymore, can’t watch a bunch of construction workers “try” and play football
knowing Fat Head del bosque he’ll see the whole 90 mins too
Theo has had a good half there.
Well done, best I have seen him play in a long while. Seems to have more confidence.
If cesc can play for Spain he can play for us.
Wenger is way too cautious with his players.
Ha ha I’m suprised Poland dont play in high vis vests
Is song playing?
Cesc for Spain … WTF, fuckin cunts
Whatever he or anyone else say, he should play on Sunday.
Km
But will he wait that long given the way he is being told how great he is already?
Tom Tom
How does Banega look for Argie.
Pat,
Cameroon passed across the field in front the box in front of carthorse defenders like fucking Zewlakow…
no wonder Koscielny dissed Smuda…
thing is … if Theo avoids injuries and keeps stringing a good bunch of games together he might show his worth.
Dont know Zeus.just got in from work so only seen half time highlights. I’ll let you know how he plays in second half. Irelands new stadium looks great
Tom Tom,
that’s a bit out of order…
Dont know Zeus,just in from work so only seen halftime highlights. I’ll see how he plays in the second half. Is it true that Velencia payed 18 million for him and he’s only 18
Theo Walcott has managed 5 successful dribbles in the 1st half vs Hungary, at least 3 more than any English winger at the 2010 WC.
Via Opta
Whats out of order Suga? think my computer is fucked tonight
Come on Keiron!!
the hi vis thing, dude
Gibbs is on for cashley.
Or Keiran i think.
It was only a joke,I was commenting on what Pat said earlier
Im sorry but Bobby Zamora is well out of his depth here.
that’s why I said ‘a bit’
They should also be wearing hard hats but it looks like they are all wearing steel capped boots by the looks of the passing,mow thats a bit harsh
a touch exaggerated, perhaps, they had their moments tonight…
but fuck me, what is Fabianski smoking?
‘I am ready to be Arsenal’s and Poland’s no.1′
SUGA, how are Kuba, Jelen, and Lewandowski playing?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JREcKmXDeAs
I’m really going to hate the CHicharito Mexican United signed. He cannot stop scoring the little cunt.
Mexico 1-0 Spain
Suga
regardless of whether he is ready or not OGL is gonna give him his chances. Judging by his confident comments, I’d say Wenger has already assured him of that.
But I think he’ll really struggle against teams who sit back. But he’s guaranteed to score against us.
Jelen is not playing, Kuba and Lewandowski are playing OK – both fighting and all that…
as I type this, Lewandowski shoots straight at the GK…
and Cameroon score third…
Rooney & some of the players do not look like they enjoy playing for England….its almost a nuisance for some of them. i think the new players care more
LOL
this Hernandez kid is quite a goalscorer isn’t he?
Man Utd have got a lot of strikers this year :
Rooney
Berbatov
Hernandez
Owen
Macheda
Is Vela playing Pat ?
zeus,
if we start the season with Fabianski and no extra CB, we will be as good as Spuds under Ramos, perhaps slightly better…
Hungary scores…
Englands defence is wank
Almunia sounded confident aswell
Walcott coming off has taken the pressure off Hungary imo – they haven’t got that attacking threat which Theo provides
*scored
Jagiela fucked it up, first let his man go, and then scored the OG … fucked up, even linking defenders to us jinxes the shit out of them
Pat
I know exactly what you mean. He’s scored in every game he has played for Man Utd so far I think and he was really good for the little times we saw of the bastard in South Africa.
HA!!!! Hungary take the lead!!!
take Rooney off he’s been invisible…bring on wilshere
Come on Capello, throw in Wilshere ffs and see the difference, actually fuck it, we need him for Sunday
Kreshnik
lol mate
Both sounded confident.
Would be excellent if Wenger just pulled an Ashton Kutcher and punk’d them by getting a top goalie and just as their about to take the field to Anfield, Frey jumps out.
Wenger to the clowns ” Get the fuck out of here for fuck sake you clowns.”
jags OG
Hows Vela & Cesc playing?
fukk me!
what a goal by Gerrard!
great goal by Stevie Me…
Stevie G magic, he can be awesome!
imho capello has lost the plot
he should have left the post after the world cup but the FA are dumb as fuck
Gibbs is a fukking livewire!
what a fucking goal !
come on Capello be a man
Bring on wilshere
wow – another awesome goal by Gerrard
Fuck me im worried about sunday now.
and Stevie Me adds a second…
fuck me, I am soo not looking forward to Anfield game…
Zizou Gerrard
That was ZIDANE right there.
Gibbs is fuckin quality in attack, gives a whole new Dimension to England
And there’s the second, fuck me … is he playing Sunday
is it me or does Capello look like Sylvester Stallone’s dad/elder brother?
Stevie g’s on form, we need to be wary
Yep Gerrard has been sensational
KM
Na, Postman Pat
keeper shoulda had that. Luckilly we have Fabianski so that wont happen sunday
Great … now someone trip him for a week only injury, please
Gibbs looks good.
SUGA, Murawski hit the bar too. From what I’m reading/seeing, we’ve had some chances.
Wouldn’t blame Fabianski for the goal either. The defender failed to deal with it at the near post. That automatically leaves the keeper in no mands land, no matter if your name is Buffon or Fabianski.
Capello needs to realise that u cant pack the side with the best English players….u need the best side out there.
lool @ six pac
Describe Stevie Me’s goal please.
Fabianski sucks donkey knobs…
Capello should never play both Steve me and Fat Frank together … ever
Pat,
Fabianski is largely at fault for that goal – piss poor judgment and went down like a bitch for no reason at all…
I thought it was horses asses suga?
it was goooooooooood zeus
Gerrard has been awesome since Lampard and Rooney went off…hmmm
Fabianski is the answer.
Kreshnik,
it’s about as much of a secret as that Arsenal needs a GK and a CB or two
zeus,
if he is the answer, then what the fuck is the question?
Put Wilshere on!
That clears it up Sixx pac. hehe
Discribe it. When you say Zizou, I get that Zizou turn and finish in my mind or the on from the CL final.
JACKY BOY
Beggining of a legend!
wilshere coming on
Gerrard has not been good this game. Our defending is shit and a long range goal never means a player is on form.
2nd goal was just Sunday league stuff and our defense is definitely better than that.
Suga3
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha?
Only the esoteric will know.
JW on…
Oh yes, little Jacky Wilshire.
Fabianski sucks donkey knobs
I thought all Poles did that
asif fabregas is playing 4 spain, WTF!!!!
Yeah course pat, Gerrards been shit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6sbDB5_Y2I
England needs more Arsenal players.
Try telling that to Wenger tho Suga
Jacky Boy is mean
sixx pac,
go fuck yourself you cunt…
Have to say it’s good to have a couple of gooners on the pitch.
Gerrard has by no means had a good game Gambon. Yes they were both good goals, but he lost the ball a lot and overall struggled.