Listen, I hope I’m wrong but hearing Arsene talking about Cesc being out and his past behaviour points towards that.
I’d put your house on the line and say that I’m pretty certain Cesc will be available for West Brom the week after. If Wenger throws this match and we don’t win the league, what have we achieved this year? How can we keep taking solace from the tiniest improvements? How can we tolerate a manager who doesn’t have that killer instinct anymore?
My faith is paper thin, the only thing keeping me going is the fact that somehow, we’re still in with a massive shout in the league. Such a good shout, it feels almost impossible that we won’t pull something together until the end of the year.
Question is, if Wenger wins the league this year, will it satisfy the critics? It’s a bizarre situation to be in, but I’d hazard a guess it probably wouldn’t.
Has there ever been a more unsatisfied crowd considering our position? Have you ever taken such a ribbing from oppo fans about a title contending season?
I haven’t.
We’re in with a shout when we shouldn’t be. We’re contending the league and 75% of the fans think the team are a bunch of chokers…
So what is the answer?
It’s to sort out this shambolic mess and play the best team this weekend.
I don’t want to read about how dignified a 40k a week keeper has been. I really couldn’t care a crap about what Almunia has been through. The reason he’s been dignified is because he knows he won the lottery when he joined. Being dignified would have been leaving in January.
One other gripe from me Arsene…
‘We can take confidence and belief from the Barcelona tie’
… Have you ever heard such tripe?
Being trounced at the Camp Nou should give us no belief. If players are taking belief from losing games, they should be ashamed.
The difference between Barcelona and Arsenal is firstly, they are better technically. Secondly and for me, more importantly, everyone of their players has an incredible intensity to their game and a superb work ethic. Second best isn’t tolerated there, poor performances are not passed off as the folly of youth, if you don’t have it, you don’t play.
Arsene, you need to take a lesson from Pep. Stop flogging poor players to death. If a player isn’t good enough after 150 games, who cares a crap if they are after 200…we’ve just blown three seasons waiting for that moment.
Arsenal fans have waited long enough, if this team bottles it now, there should be a squad overhaul in the summer. This is top level sport, top level wages are being taken, but top performances are not being given in exchange.
Let’s get the culture right starting on Saturday. I want to see the spirit of Jack, Robin and Vermaelen out there. I want to see people playing like they mean it, I want to see blood, guts and thunder on the Old Trafford pitch.
This is the Arsenal, if you’re not proud to wear the shirt, f*ck off to another club whoever you are…we don’t need you.
I still believe we can do something this year, but my gut feeling says a lot of it rests on Saturday evening. Don’t mess it up Arsene… prove to us you ‘know’ because the growing consensus is you don’t anymore.
P.S. This post was brought to you in association with Blackberry…. honestly, your praise in the comments will be entirely welcome.
Don’t forget to follow us on twitter @LeGrove!
so who voted in the world-famous zoo magazine football poll?
Best Player results:
Steven Gerrard: 21 per cent
Cesc Fabregas: 14 per cent
Carlos Tevez: 13 per cent
Gareth Bale: 12 per cent
Samir Nasri: 11 per cent
Rafael van der Vaart: 7 per cent
Nemanja Vidic: 6 per cent
Wayne Rooney: 4 per cent
Paul Scholes: 4 per cent
Luka Modric: 4 per cent
Frank Lampard: 2 per cent
Very good article
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3460125/Steven-Howard-Stubborn-Arsene-Wenger-makes-fans-suffer.html
slow-mo?
sixx, just joking! now that we cannot win it it must be a worthless competition!
This is actually a really poor article. It’s funny that Gambon goes on about his business degree, and makes condescending comments about other people’s understanding of maths, and yet the moment a half arsed article that agrees with his point of view he praises it without even thinking.
Most importantly, he bangs on about our increased income without any reference to how our costs have or haven’t increased. Has our ‘footballing’ wage bill increased at all to cancel out our increased profit? Who knows? No one from reading this article that’s for sure! This is a crucial consideration as a recent study has shown that, while transfer spending and footballing success show no correlation at all, the size of a club’s wage bill is THE crucial factor in a club’s success.
Essentially, he is looking at only one side of the balance sheet and drawing conclusions without the other half! At best, it amounts to saying ‘Arsenal have moved stadium but still haven’t won a trophy!’ Which is hardly breaking news!
And I’m sorry, but anyone who can call someone ‘arrogant’ for not buying English players, with absolutely NO mention of the insanely inflated prices they command is very clearly only telling half the story!
Wow Albo on the wenger defensive
Im Surprised
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NOT
Franchise – haha. Or just not blindly believing everything I read without thinking for myself
Rocket?
I BELIEVE THE TEAM SHOULD BE
Almunia
Sagna Dhourou Koscienly Clichy
Diaby Wilshere
Ramsey(Nasri)
Nasri(Bendtner) RVP Arshavin
Albo wasted WAY too much energy defending Dr Senile.
“It’s funny that Gambon goes on about his business degree”
- Probably mentioned it once or twice at most.
“makes condescending comments about other people’s understanding of maths”
- True
“Most importantly, he bangs on about our increased income without any reference to how our costs have or haven’t increased”
Couldnt be further from the truth, I often talk about how badly wenger manages the wage bill, paying too much to the retards & kids, and too little to the world class players (that we dont have).
“the size of a club’s wage bill is THE crucial factor in a club’s success”
Do you think maybe the players at a successful club will demand to be the best paid? This stat is misleading.
“while transfer spending and footballing success show no correlation at all”
See Man Utd, Chelsea, Munich, Madrid, Barca & Inter.
Gambon,
The Nou camp game was exactly like the home home game, plenty of pressing, one mistake and Barca scores. However we all know that they tire after the first half… the pressing is reduced and we take our chances.
Still believed we should have won or drawn with 11 men on the pitch, though am still angry at Wenger for playing Rosicky. Daiby I accept as Rambo did not travel. I don’t think Barca can beat a fit ManU, a fit Bayern, Chelsea, or even Shaktar.
This same ref cost us a draw with Braga this year. He is sh*t. He spoilt a beautiful day of footy for all lovers of football.
Sorry. Gambon, I wasn’t at all clear. Only my first paragraph was about you. The rest was commenting on the Sun article.
Afternoon Grovers
Arsenal FC: 10 Potential Summer Signings
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/608342-arsenal-fc-10-potential-summer-signings#headline
A
I would have Bartley in as fourth choice next year (assuming we dont sign anyone), I think he is already better than Squillaci, and gives us far more balance, being a big CB who dominates in the air.
In an absolutely ideal world i’d like us to sign Hummells & have;
First choice; Vermaelen & Hummells
Reserves; Koscielny & Djourou
However we may need to spend our money replacing the showers of shit that are Denilson, Diaby, Bendtner, Rosicky & Chamakh.
I will only write one post as I have work to do but here goes.
I owe a number of you Guys on here an apology for wasting yours and my time tring to justify the reason we sat back against Barcelona.
I thought it was a tactical plan from Wenger but he confirmed himself yesterday on the Official Arsenal web site that Barca pushed us back.
Some of you Guys got that spot on and I cyber shake your hands.
There was me ranting that I thought Arsene was deploying a tactic to sit back and wear them down before striking.
I really should have known better than that, as we all know Arsenes worst value is match play tactics and poor team selections.
It really is time for Wenger to take a Taxi.
I am one of those Gooners who is Mega bias and faithful to the end but Arsene has fucked that up too now.
Lets just hope we win something this season and lets hope that even if we do Arsene Wenger has the dignity to hand over the baton to a better tougher Manager, a Manager that he doesn’t choose himself.
We should be desperate to get David Dein back at our Club as he would know who to appoint.
Sorry Guys I lost that silly argument of trying to support my Club when in truth we got smashed to fuck by the best team on the planet.
I believe the side should be:
My Mum
Sagna Kosser JD Cleesh
Arsh Cesc JW Nasser
RVP Shammer
So there!
My Mum is a better keeper thaN ALMUNICLOWN!
TonyS
I apologise if that comment hurt u just didnt mean in that sense …..there was too much Spuds’ arse licking……I am brown as well…
el Tel – You’re being far too hard on yourself, and you’re totally ignoring the spirit of Le Grove, never back down, never admit you were wrong, change the argument to suit yours and stand by it till the end.
We defended well in the first half bar a poor mistake from an injured Fabregas.
If we couldn’t get out we weren’t going to allow them to easy a passage through and it was working to an extent.
TonyS
didn’t know that term was offensive….
English cricket team is tactically so inept in One Days always take the power play at the worst time should have taken it when Morgan and Trott were at crease they are atleast 40 runs short made 30 runs in the last 6 overs ….piss poor
Pedro pls delete my comment at 9:24 ……
Any word at all on a goal-keeper? Mart Poom?
Tim Bresnan seems to be the only one playing…Good Old England… lolz..if they go out in group stages…
El Tel
Very decent of you to say that.
And I thought it was very decent of Arsene to admit we got gubbed too.
why are my comments still waiting moderation? weird….
I dunno gambon – I think he’ll develop much more playing regularly, and in the prem would do him alot of good.
As Rangers fans say he’s still pretty raw, and when playing in a 4 man defence he’s dodgy positionally, so that’s something he’d develop by playing
i feel arsenal has been very lucky that song does not get injured very often although nasri and wilshire can cover there its waist of attacking flair,i think this what happend against barc diaby is not dm player by any means and delinson is no real cover realy either.i feel had song been playing in barc game it have given players like wilshire nari risicky to go forward.i am not sure if fringpong or couqinin is the answer but were has got to better than delinson and diaby if these player were injured it not evon cause riple and thats not good enough evon for squad players
the faith is “paper thin”, a win tomorrow and it will still be “paper thin”, a loss and o dear, i just cant imagine the carnage on here!
Keyser says; you’re totally ignoring the spirit of Le Grove, never back down, never admit you were wrong, change the argument to suit yours and stand by it till the end.
Hahaha bang there
who is the emergency goalie??
We don’t know, he’s been pictured in training wearing a crash helmet like the Stig.
Bang ‘on’
Jens T1m
A
I am with you on the Merida issue.
Very gutted he left.
I think he wouldve been a very fine back-up to Cesc with that left foot.
For me tomorrow:
clown
sagna,djourou,kos,gibbs
nasri,ramsey,wilshere
nasri,rvp,arshavin
Pat
Agreed i thought Arsene’s comments were remarkably honest.
However,
For a team that he’s been working on for 6 years to be spanked like that,
Questions need to be asked.
Haha, i have nasri twice.
Then chamakh at the right.
We need to sell rosicky,bendtner,denilson,diaby and squillaci, oh and almunia! Why do these players are in a “top team”? How can wenger be so stupid to keep this players? This players really should go, they are facking shit and those players are ruining our club. Our second team is facking shit and i have had it with those shit players. Wenger, sell these players or just go, how can you think that these players are good? When they play they fuck it up! Our first team hasn’t lost a game yet. (the first team that beat chelsea). You can’t blame money as issue because players like lansbury,ramsey and miyaichi are already miles ahead of those shit players. I don’t get it!!
Wenger will play denilson,diaby,rosicky etc. tomorrow and we will lose. Same story! Wenger plays his shit players and lose! Have they ever won a match?
Absolutely ridiculous, if i see rosicky,denilson or diaby in tomoorow team then i won’t watch the match!
Keyser – 15:11 LOL
Got a weekend away planned but I will get to watch the game, lets hope that we can at least get a draw.
This might be of interest to some, it shows other countries perception of the Barca game. I guess if it doesnt agree with your own view then you can just add overseas newspapers to the list of Sky Sports, The Beeb, ITV, domestic refs, domestic papers, overseas refs etc etc etc etc etc etc etc, who are biased against us.
“Its the meejiaaa fault Denilsons a goat”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/video/2011/mar/11/james-richarson-european-paper-review
Have a good weekend.
England are shite at cricket. Go on Bangladesh
A Tsunami is coming for United tomorrow!
(too soon?)
Albo now your really showing your stupidity.
OUR profit can’t increase significantly unless % increase in revenue is greater than % increase in costs.
so thats bollocks.
WTF is going on with England..
I heard Francis Coquelin doing well at Lorient and he is a defensive midfielder. He is a bit like Flamini.
Haha English cricket team ,but beat Windies and they can still go through…..batting powerplay again proves to be their undoing…
I believe our recent problem has been in attack not defence.
Granted the defence cocked up vs birmingham, but had our attack taken the ample chances we had that game would have been dead! Even against Barca our midfield and RVP couldn’t hold onto the ball which inevitably invited pressure onto our back 4, who for most of the game 11 vs 11 played well.
Given our inefficiency up-front is it not time to throw Chamakh into the fray alongside RVP? Wenger seems to have made his mind up about the combo not working but I have only seen it tried once!
I feel our current system relies on Walcott being fit and when he isn’t we lack the cutting edge to support RVP up-front.
in my opinion some like bretna is needed because brings something different smae chamakh both these players are useful when playing a more direct style they phsical presence and both are pretty good at set plays and both headers of the ball.my reasons for wanting players like delinson and diaby to go is that these numbers players they realy have huge impact in the squad they would be missed.delinson does not have the phsical presence to play dm on his own and cant play in ore advanced role because he is to slow is and his passing is not good enough.daiby although very powerful and very good dribler and go past players however so can ramsey cesc wilshire nasri and of these players are far better passes of the ball and both wilshire rambo and nasri and maybe evon risicky are better defensively than him thats my thinking as to why i think delinson and diaby should go
here’s a list of reasons why arsenal WON’T win the league.
Saturday, 19 March 2011
Barclays Premier League
West Brom v Arsenal, 15:00
Saturday, 2 April 2011
Barclays Premier League
Arsenal v Blackburn, 17:30
Sunday, 10 April 2011
Barclays Premier League
Blackpool v Arsenal, 13:30
Sunday, 17 April 2011
Barclays Premier League
Arsenal v Liverpool, 16:00
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Barclays Premier League
Tottenham v Arsenal, 19:45
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Barclays Premier League
Bolton v Arsenal, 16:00
Sunday, 1 May 2011
Barclays Premier League
Arsenal v Man Utd, 14:05
Saturday, 7 May 2011
Barclays Premier League
Stoke v Arsenal, 15:00
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Barclays Premier League
Arsenal v Aston Villa, 15:00
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Barclays Premier League
Fulham v Arsenal, 16:00
ha ha ha ha! ha ha ha ha!
Arse and Nose
Totally spot on. We threw away too many chances against Birmingham. I think a defining moment in the games was when Nasri dribbled past three players on the right and elected to shot from an impossible angle while RVP was waiting free in the centre. Our defence has played fairly well but we have lacked a goal threat. Infact in the first leg against Barca we also spurned a number of chances. The few goals per game ratio was also seen in the games against Wolves and Wigan at the Emirates.
i tell you where it all started,newcastle,how a team can throw away a 4 goal lead is disgusting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6Kc-KvQ-XUQ
ANB I love the fact that you post the same anti-arsenal “jokes” that Spuds or Utd fans do on their forums/blogs
Arsene Nose Best
The refereeing game in that game was pathetic to be fair.
My faith is paper thin, the only thing keeping me going is the fact that somehow, we’re still in with a massive shout in the league. Such a good shout, it feels almost impossible that we won’t pull something together until the end of the year.
pedro should take a look at the fixtures i think.
can’t blame the ref for all of it.
there is no dought thsi team is missing real finisher they have tons players who can creat chances and they can defend well enough bvut if you dont put the ball back of net dont count for much but i suspect wenger is hoping vela to step into that role next season i hold my breath
still the season finished against brum as usual.
I’m not sure exactly what you’re saying, or what you think I’m saying. But to be clear, In purely football terms (ie not property, which hasn’t actually realised a profit yet anyway) we break even. Any profits we have made since moving stadium have been solely down to player sales.
This is primarily due to a huge increase in player wages over the period – a necessary investment in the squad that the writer conveniently ignores. (And while there can be criticism of some squad player’s salaries if the rumoured figures are true, a huge majority of that increase is just down to keeping up with the going rate for top players).
But the bottom line is that this writer for the Sun clearly doesn’t remotely understand the subtleties of our situation. You’re far better off reading the AST website than reading that half arsed rubbish!
ANB, if your going to steal part of my nickname please think before you post.
Arsene Nose
Heh!
Leon u r a real gooner hats off to you…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/8348363/Arsenal-v-Birmingham-City-revealed-the-117-questions-that-decide-the-fate-of-aspiring-Gunners.html
the psychologist’s view
Hi guys, here is my take on events at Arsenal.
Have a good weekend all.
http://joppas.wordpress.com
Will the emergency goalie wear a number 999 shirt?
kush i have read so many comments about how poor arsenal are after barc game and i dont buy into that at all this is pretty strong yes there is room for improvement yes the team is very good
if players arent good enough after 150 games they wont be good enough after 200. neverending cycle of shite. were only in with a shout of winning the league because of pure luck nothing else – if we cant win the league ahead of the worst united team i can remember it would be an absolute disgrace
911 I guess….
Leon fair play nite all…
SORRY GEOFF/PEDRO
kev thats your opinion i dont realy agree with that feel had bretna and song in that game i have no dought aa nasri withire cut barc defence apart barc may be a better passing team but there defence arenot that great and when it comesto set plays they are not very good either both chamakh and bretna would cause them problems sorry there is not a question in my mind arsenal could have beaton barc.but this team must beat manu who are not very strong right now if they dont wenger wont have any choice but to make some real signings 7 years without winning something is something the fans wont accept
Please somebody tell Santino to get another name. It is a corrupt version of mine… Haha
leon i didnt mention the barca game. i have no complaints about that game at all – we were just outplayed by an amazing team. no shame there really. my point is 6 years or thereabouts have passed since our fa cup win and weve only slightly improved in that time. we have players at the club who shouldnt be anywhere near an arsenal shirt and its tiresome now enough is enough.
How did you come to the conclusion that we’re going to throw the game, Pedro?
Cesc is injured ffs. van Persie is playing after all.
kev i think this team improved alot particualy defensively the team has matured alot and there only 2-3 players that dont make the grade in my ipion this teamdoes need a striker and dm player
I find it bizarre the number of people who are now ascribing all of our success to David Dein! Sure the guy was a decent wheeler dealer, and he was responsible for hiring the most successful manager in the club’s history, but this idea that he would transform the team on the pitch if he came back is laughable.
I suppose it shows how desperate people are for success, which is fair enough, but ‘clutching at straws’ doesn’t even begin to cover it!
(And that is totally aside from how error prone he has shown to be in recent years regarding Arsenal – renting Wembley ffs! – and football in general – the humiliating World Cup bid…)
Dein was the best thing for this club, he only wanted the best for Arsenal, I know of the guy have met him at a few charity due’s. So what he wanted Wembley, every person is allowed a mistake once in a while, as for the world cup bid that was never his fault, he was not the only one involved in the bid, plus it was Russia from the start,a dodgy campaign if ever their was one. And so much for Gazidis, what has he brought to the club? Fuck all that’s what, Get rid of PHW to another waste of space on the board
Sorry, but if Arsene still has critics after winning the Premier League this season, that will be a huge injustice.
Let’s remember that even if the league has weakened a little at the top, you’re still looking at 3 English teams probably in the Champions League QFs and the 4th coming within 30 minutes of knocking out the best team in the world. You have a Man United team with Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Rooney, Nani and Berbatov. That’s a cool 125 million plus huge salaries to compete with.
Chelsea are also loaded with talent, but getting older. They just spent75 million on two new players in January, ffs. Man City we all know about and Tottenham haven’t been exactly gun shy on the transfer front, although you have to credit them for astute signings like Modric, Gallas and Van Der Vaart.
So Spurs might end up going further than us in the Champions League but you can be certain the fans will be distraught with this if they can’t pull off 4th place in the league.
Basically, the measure of success this season will be if we win the League or not. Winning the league and cup will be a huge achievement, but the league is more than enough.
Let’s not forget that on a few occasions, it was down to the wire whether we would qualify for the Champions League. Barring a spectacular collapse, we’re a lock for the Top 4 already, and have the easiest schedule heading towards the final stretch of the season.
Finally, we’ve had Vermaelen out nearly all season (PFA Team of last season CB) and have found in Kos and Djourou a great CB partnership. I can even see Djourou making the PFA team this year. Ramsey looks close to being back, and Nasri, Wilshire and Walcott have shown serious improvement this season.
All we need is to shake out the dead wood in the summer (at least 2 of Denilson, Eboue, Rosicky or Diaby) and invest in a couple of top quality players.
If this club showed some bloody ambition for a change, so what Hazard will cost 20mill, we would sell loads of shirts with his name on it, that’s how it works for RM. Don’t let this talent go to Chelsea. Give the fans back something for a change
Big Dave – Dein is a good man, and an Arsenal man, but his exit from the club was surrounded in a number of massive misjudgements. Firstly, his backing the Wembley plan. Secondly, his attempt to get Kroenke to buy the club was both ill-judged and poorly thought out (ending in him going behind the board’s back, resulting in his being pushed out). Thirdly, to add insult to injury, he then got in bed with Usmanov, further destabilising the clubat board level, all the while utterly failing to deliver his actual objective – a source of outside funding for the club.
Dein did amazing things for Arsenal, but there is currently an attempt by fans pining for the success of the early Wenger years to rewrite history – both in terms of ignoring his errors toward the end, but also in overstating his influence on the pitch at the start. The motive for this primarily seems to be to pass off Wenger’s early successes as somebody else’s to justify their attempt to vilify him in the present…
(Btw regarding PHW, I don’t think people seem to realise his position is almost entirely symbolic. He has no real say in the day to day running of the club.)
Big Dave – ignore what you read on here – Hazard will go for a HUGE amount more than £20 million, especially now he has extended his contract…
bacery you have made good points but i would not be to wuick to get of someone like eboue unless you can find high qulity replacement which we dont have at the moment but not delinson and daiby have not realy made any real strides were as song well is one of the best dm players in prem now,and risicky not sure about hium because is still a great passer ofd the game but i feel wenger can get a younger sharper player than him.i think its real shame song was not fit in the barc game he could have given much better protection to the defference would then given wilshire nasri fab ect to attack
Big Dave says:
March 11, 2011 at 19:45
Dein was the best thing for this club, he only wanted the best for Arsenal, I know of the guy have met him at a few charity due’s. So what he wanted Wembley, every person is allowed a mistake once in a while, as for the world cup bid that was never his fault, he was not the only one involved in the bid, plus it was Russia from the start,a dodgy campaign if ever their was one. And so much for Gazidis, what has he brought to the club? Fuck all that’s what, Get rid of PHW to another waste of space on the board
———————————————————-
Top fuggin shout Big D,I say top fuggin shout.
If David Dein was still at the club then we would not have gone 6 fuggin years without a trophy.DD would have bought atleast 3 World Class players.No doubt about it.
Big Dave says:
March 11, 2011 at 19:45
Dein was the best thing for this club, he only wanted the best for Arsenal, I know of the guy have met him at a few charity due’s. So what he wanted Wembley, every person is allowed a mistake once in a while, as for the world cup bid that was never his fault, he was not the only one involved in the bid, plus it was Russia from the start,a dodgy campaign if ever their was one. And so much for Gazidis, what has he brought to the club? Fuck all that’s what, Get rid of PHW to another waste of space on the board
———————————————————-
Top fuggin shout Big D,I say top fuggin shout.
If David Dein was still at the club then we would not have gone 6 fuggin years without a trophy.DD would have bought atleast 3 World Class players.No doubt about it.
What has Gazidis done for the club besides telling lies?
That stupid board sacked him for going behind his back, and yet they are happy to have Kroenke on board now. Pricks. Fiszman is not a well man, wenger needs Deinthey still meet and chat.
As for Hazard, your suggesting then 30 mill, a major signing would give us all such a lift
David Dein is Arsenal through and through.All he ever wanted was the best for Arsenal.
The board got rid of him to make money.
Arsenal Football Club just do not care for the fans who pay a lot of money to watch them.
Gooner786 – its worth pointing out that Dein specifically believed that he couldn’t do the job that Gazidis is being asked to do. His entire reason for chasing Kroeke and then Usmanov was that he didn’t believe we could compete without outside funding.
So to compare Dein’s record to Gazidis is massively misleading because he operated at a time when
a) Arsenal had a lot more spending power in the transfer market before building the Emirates (temporarily) hamstrung us financially and
b) at a time when the competition within the Premiership was nothing like as fierce as it in now (both in footballing terms and financially).
Dein couldn’t have bought 3 world class players if the money wasn’t there to do it, no matter how ‘fuggin’ great he is.
Dein did not want what was best for Arsenal, at least certainly not once he left.
Getting alongside Usmanov was purely an attempt to get power back, despite his knowing full well it would be terrible for the club. That’s the point at which I lost respect for and faith in him.
Big Dave – Kroenke was allowed on the board purely as a reaction to Dein selling out to Usmanov. And Dein did it purely to try to wrest power back at board level, despite the destabilising effect it would have on the club. That he failed even to do that is perhaps evidence of how far his judgement had failed him…
I’ll ignore Gooner786′s bizarre claim that they pushed him out ‘to make money’, since clearly that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
So is that really what it comes down to – not what the club or the squad actually needs, but simply a signing to give you a lift? Sounds like the kind of thing Newcastle would do to me (whilst sacking their manager and plummeting down the table etc etc)
A.
Rubbish. Whilst he was at the club he allways wanted the best for the club. What did you want him to do once he left? He was hurt getting sacked, If you were at a job and then got the boot I’m sure you would feel some resent towards them at first
Given that everything A said is completely factually accurate it is a bit much to declare it ‘rubbish’…particularly as you then go on to admit it is true and make excuses for what he did!
albo.
A major signing does give you a lift, it gives the fans a lift and the players ,it shows a sign of ambition, you can’t compare us to Newcastle. The club could do with a major signing, am hearing moral is low at present and some squabling going on in the background. Remember how Ian Wright felt when he heard he was going to be playing with Bergkamp, he said he was like a little boy in a sweet shop, and jumping for joy
Big Dave if he really loved the club even if he felt like he’s been mistreated and forced out he still wouldn’t try and get power back or get back at the board at the expense of the club’s best interests.
Arsenal til i die. Not for BBK obviosly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMShAxDT3J0
Obviously
How is it what A says is accurate? To say he never wanted the best for Arsenal is bollox.
He got into bed with Usmanov BD, and he’s far too intelligent to genuinely believe that he’d be good for the club
Well that’s not what A said. His turn of phrase might have misled you, but clearly he was talking about what happened after he left…
A for president
i dont think the lack of trophies has anything to with dien the simple fact is at least for first 3-4 years money was going to be tight and everything has been money saving excersice and once again i have to say wenger under invested in the squad there no question thi steam needs another striker,he has got away with not having great dm cover because song is hardly ever injured plus nasri and wilshire helpout alot but it needs adressing
Big Dave – the thing is, morale needn’t be low. It is a line that you are being fed by the media that we are failing that is causing all the doom and gloom.
If every story we read was about how we have a squad that is well placed to dominate English football for the next 5 years. Or about our having the only board/owners with the foresight to see how insane the transfer market was about to become. Or about being one of the few clubs producing world class English talent. Or about the fact that we are one of 2 teams in a title race despite a team with an average age of 23 and therefore with, on average, 4 more years before they are at their peak. Or in fact anything but the one thing that they constantly go on about – the fact that we haven’t won a trophy in a few years.
The way I see it, a HUGE number of the people moaning on here aren’t actually worried about the situation that Arsenal FC find themselves in – they are worried about getting stick from their friends; they are worried about hearing Talkshite slagging us off; they are worried about reading that we are chokers and bottlers. They are worried that everytime they listen to a commentary some ignorant cunt is banging on about our trophy drought. In short, they worry about what OTHERS are saying about us, rather than the position we are actually in.
Personally I think if people thought about the CLUB more than themselves they’d realise that we are in a stunning position relative to pretty much every other club in world football, and certainly in English football
Nice article on the Barca refreeing.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/630192-arsenals-robin-van-persies-sending-off-may-be-the-worst-referees-decison-ever
Well said, Albo. Well said. If you don’t mind I’m off to frame that.
albo.
Are you sucking A cock or something tonight
A lot of gooners are very pissed off since the brum loss. I for one want whats best for the club and dont give a hoot what they say on radio, or papers. The fact is come May/June if we are pottless again, a top signimg would be a good boost for the club, it can be a lift, you telling me that you wouldn’t want to see Arsenal make some sort of statement and sign a big name. Chances are with this manager and board it sadly wont happen
The hard fact is that no top player would want to come to a club like ours who season after season end up winning nothing
The only way I can see Hazard coming to Arsenal is if Cesc goes. It is the only way we can afford him.
Probarbly Pat
Where will hazard play?
On the left or right?
Big Dave – firstly, if you think no ‘top player’ would come to us you are crazy. If we went in for a big name a huge majority would want to come to a club with our reputation (and our manager, though I appreciate that is not a popular opinion on here). They don’t come mostly because we don’t go in for them.
Yes, I would be happy to see a world class player signed, but it is absolutely not the be all and end all as far as I am concerned.
There is this bizarre situation at the moment when it comes to signings that goes like this:
Imagine we have never signed Nasri and he had progressed into the player he is now at another club. Imagine we then signed him for £30 million this summer. Fans on here would be over the moon and declare is as an incredible statement of intent and ambition that we have one of the best players in Europe in our squad.
And yet, instead we already have him we and sit around moaning that we never sign world class players! And there are 6 or seven players in our squad that you could repeat that example with.
In fact, the irony is that you could even repeat it with some of the most vilified members of our squad. I guarantee you that if Diaby or Bendtner played abroad and people posted youtube footage of their ‘greatest hits’ countless people on here would be over the moon if we signed them. People wouldn’t care that about injury problems, or some questions about attitude. They’d care about the SIGNING and nothing else.
This is the bizarre circus that we are expected to sign up to, and that our club is attempting to reject. For me, THAT shows far more ambition than just covering their eyes and getting the chequebook out…
On the left, choy.
If Cesc does leave, we should just get Hazard and then play Nasri centrally but more forward than Cesc as a false 9(hopefully he can step up there) and then hope Jack/Ramsey can play the metronome role of a deep playmaker.
I’d love to get Gourcuff though. I still maintain that he is the most talented player of his generation. Under Wenger he could be an absolute star. I wonder if he could play deep though. Now that Wilshere is looking to be more like a hybrid of Alonso and Nasri, I wonder if Aaron is being groomed to be the natural successor of Cesc.
It is risky doing that, going into next season without a recognized midfield playmaker (bar Nasri) if cesc leaves.
Gourcuff is the only name that stands out for me. If Hazard comes in, we might have to change our style and go in and attack from the flanks and play more on the counterattack than the good ol’ tiki taka.
Walcott still doesn’t convince me enough to retain a first 11 spot.
“He got into bed with Usmanov BD, and he’s far too intelligent to genuinely believe that he’d be good for the club”
A, what Dein and Usmanov get up to in their private life has nothing to with Arsenal.
At the turn of the century the dominant force in world/European football was France. Now it’s Spain and I havee a feeling that it’s again going to go toward France and central Europe (Belgium) .
In Benzema, Nasri, Gourcuff, Koscielny, M’Vila, Capoue, Hazard, Vermaelen there are some great prospects there and is a market we should be looking to make the most of.
Walcott is a starter when fit Rohan.. his performances this season have been tremendous.
The way I see it, so long as neither Nasri or Fabregas leave THIS summer we are sorted without buying. Wilshere and Ramsey will have had another season to mature, and I could see us cashing in on Fabregas and looking at a midfield of: Wilshire, Nasri, Song, Ramsey, Diaby, Walcott, Coquelin and Frimpong.
For me, by 2012/13 that is a pretty special midfield, with or without Fabregas…
And re Walcott, I personally think that of all the players either out or lacking fitness for Barca it is Walcott we missed the most. His pace behind their high attacking line at home would have been terrifying.
He has also really upped his defensive workrate this season. It’s not often mentioned, but his pace in closing down the opposition when we’re without the ball has been vital on a number of occasions (Chelsea at the Emirates in particular)
As long as your happy to pay and watch Diaby, Denilson and NB then fine, but majority of fans are not anymore.
We do need that extra bit quality to take us over the finsihing line, we are not that far away, just need that extra something to giving us a trophy
I think both will stay this summer and one of them, probably Cesc will leave next summer.
I can’t see Nasri leaving so soon. He’ll be here for a few more years atleast. this is the first season he has really stepped it up. Even then, he hasn’t been all that, if you know what i mean.
I can’t see Madrid or Barca going in for him and I can’t see him going anywhere else. Not to mention that if, Cesc does leave, he has the opportunity to become the biggest star in the team.
If he has good people around him, he’ll be with us for a few more years at the very least before passing on the mantle on to someone else.
ALthough if Hazard does come in and becomes a big success, he could be tempted.
Yeah, and that’s a good point Albo. Theo is a very good asset to have. I just feel that he has the potential to be so much more. He’s another one who I feel will be at Arsenal for a long long time. The problem is that once Theo starts to lose his pace (could be earlier than you think) he really isn’t all that. Hard worker and star of the team nonetheless.
We really do have the makings of a very very good team. It would be a pity if we don’t win the title this season.
Is this Ozyakup bloke really that good. In that he could challenge for a bench position next season along with Lansbury?
Nasri has been our best player by far this season, as for Theo if he wasn’t made of glass he could become incredible for us.
Big Dave – I do agree that a touch of extra quality wouldn’t hurt, but it is exactly that kind of post that frustrates me.
Fans obsess over a small handful of under-performing players and essentially completely take for granted the absolutely world class talent we have at our disposal. No one buys a ticket to see Diaby, Denilson and Bendtner. But the sure as hell do for Cesc Fabregas, Andrey Arshavin, Samir Nasri, Robin van Persie, Jack Wilshere, and Theo Walcott.
Honestly, from many of the posts on here you would assume that Diaby, Denilson, Almunia and Bendtner were our 4 biggest players on whom our entire season relies! And despite all the admiring glances ‘gooners’ on here cast at other top 4 clubs, every one of the top squads has players of a similar calibre to those 4 guys…
albo although the team is pretty strong wenger does need to make signings left back cover needs striker for sure rvp cant be relied upon,i know fringpong does look strong i have not realy seen couquin i herd is very good in dm position also i feel wenger needs another winger risicky has not got the pace or the sharpness any more,but it would not suprise if cesc did leave in the summer but i dont think it would kill the team without him
leon, i don’t know about the striker part.. who will be willing to stay on the bench behind vp
leon – yeah, I agree. The odd thing about our squad is that right now there appears to be a completely reversal from this time last year in what we need.
Goalkeeper – personally I’m totally happy with Chezzer no 1 and any of the others as no 2, whether its Fab, Almunia or Mannone. As far as I’m concerned any of those 3 are very decent 2nd and 3rd choice keepers.
Centre Back – Can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think we’re sorted. Vermaelen, Djourou, Kozzer, Squill (for one more season I reckon) with Bartley and Miquel pushing for a place is a healthy back line.
RB/LB – Potentially an area that might need looking at, but assuming no one leaves, Clichy/Gibbs/Sagna/Eboue is still a pretty decent roster.
DM – Song, Frimpong, Coquelin (haven’t seen him for a while but was always impressed by his reserve performances)
Midfield I covered above
Forwards – Here is where I would consider a world class addition. It’s a frustrating one though, as it would be completely unnecessary with RvP fit 90% of the time. I do think we could use a couple of quality young wingers to push Arshavin/Nasri/Walcott. But we may already have them in Ryo and Wellington…
Mugs
Ozyakup is very good, but needs to prove it outside, his biggest obstacle is the stevanage bomber.
Rohan – totally agree that Theo without pace would be pretty ordinary. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen for a while, or that he learns some new tricks before it does!
(Actually, I’m kinda joking there, but I do think there’s lots more to come from Theo. On the odd occasion he has shown some promise with dead ball situations etc…)
albo i cant see almunia staying playing the odd fa cup game,the striker position something of concern because rvp will never stay fot awhole season niether chamkh or bretna are clinical enough.in terms of wingers both wellington and ryo are no near ready to play in prem yet particualy for wellington who plays in spain or brazil niether of which is real preporation for the prem
albo.
Squid for one more season you sure ? He shouldn’t play one more game for us let alone another season of him, I realy dont get what some fans see in some of these players, wake up and smell the coffeee, average players win you nothing
big dave your not going to get top cb who is willing to play just a few cup games and then just warm bench the rest of the season
BD – Squid is a decent enough 4th/5th/6th choice CB (depending on whether either of the youngsters step up). It’s just that he and Kozzer don’t make a very effective partnership. Alongside Djourou, Squid has been perfectly solid this season.
He’s not the world’s greatest Centre Back, but then neither is Man U’s 4th choice. That’s the nature of the squad system…
leon.
He could had found a better cb then squid.Apart from TV his track record on buying good cb is dreadfull
squid has been shite for us, been
plauyed in every league defeat this season
Bd – while there have certainly been a few CB missteps you’d have to say that Toure, Sol C, Gallas, TV, Djourou and possibly Kozzer have all been pretty decent buys…
“Question is, if Wenger wins the league this year, will it satisfy the critics?”
Nope but Wenger will say ‘Told ya we can win it without spending big’.
Yes and Wenger will say ‘We gonna win it again next season without spending big’.
Damn if you do, damn if you don’t.
Hoping for Manure to drop points and being weaker opposition thus handing us the EPL crown?
Hoping to win EPL by default, eh? Not good enough.
lol so if we win the league this season LeProf you’ll consider it to not be good enough?!
Albo I agree about them. It isn’t a case of Wenger not being very good at signing centre backs, but a case of Wenger historically not wanting to spend much money on centre backs, and never prioritising it. Often when he’s tried to do it on the cheap it hasn’t worked, but whenever he’s spent money, be it wages or transfer fees he’s generally found quality, Campbell, Vermy, Koscielny
if we win the league this year, and it is so on, fuck the critics, who cares.
perspective people.
champions!
its the dream
fuck me, spuds have been creaming themselves all week for getting to the last 8 of the champions league.
if we win the league…
fuck it, come on grow up
Hello all,
Very dissapointing result, but we must now lookm ahead to winning the League and winning the FA Cup.
So we have a match against United tomorrow, and here’s my preview:
http://theproudgooner.blogspot.com/2011/03/manchester-united-fa-cup-preview-must.html
I talk about
-Tactics
-Jack WIlshere
-Nik Bendtner
-United’s probable lineup
-Arsenal’s probable lineup
-Injury Update
-Goalkeeping situation.
Check it out!
http://theproudgooner.blogspot.com/2011/03/manchester-united-fa-cup-preview-must.html
A
koz is not anywhere near a quality cb yet.
a few good tackles do not take away from the huge pens hes given away
incesc i think after the performances agaist barc whi is most likley the best attackint team the world right he has more than proved him self
yeah he’s far from world class just yet incesc – the raw potential is certainly there though.
http://www.arsenalinsider.com/arsenal-news/2324-arsenal-returning-to-austria-this-summer
Good to see us prioritising football over money, sure it’ll piss quite a few people off though!
plays well gives away a pen in the nou camp…
plays well gives away the carling cup final…
i like koz but at some point this potential has to make way for some rewards.
its like arsenal in a nutshell these days.
“at some point” incesc? He’s been at the club for six months, if there were “rewards” now then we could never have talked about potential with him!
Why would we let Nasri go? Wenger will tie him down to a long term deal this summer no doubt, we should be keeping players like that until they are 29
btw just saw a video of both song and cesc training
http://www.arsenalinsider.com/arsenal-news/2324-arsenal-returning-to-austria-this-summer
clubs been full of potential for years A…
Koz was our big summer signing and he is clearly still learning the game.
nasri was our big summer signing nearly 3 years ago, and whilst improving is still learning the game…