When I saw the below headlines on Arsenal.com, I thought, wow, I must read on…
Van Persie – I love a really good assist
Van Persie – I want to score more headers
Amazing insight into the mind of a Premiership footballer. Those two headlines remind me of all those really boring people who post Facebook status updates about the condition of their finger nails, or inform you about how nice their mums wallpaper is.
Anyway, once you delved into the stories, it was pure gold.
“For me I do appreciate assists as much as a proper goal,”
Now that is insightful. I too appreciate a proper assists as much as a proper goal. I also want to score more headers. Me and Robin are two of a kind. Maybe we could be friends. Facebook friends. Then I could tell him about how delicious I find Krispy Kreme doughnuts with my morning coffee.
He also went on to talk about the record for a calendar year not being a priority. The guys I sit with at the ground have their suspicions. He certainly hasn’t been too fussed about assists in the last few games. A little bit of selfishness has crept into his game. I’m looking forward to him getting this calendar year out of the way their can be no more suspisions.
On the transfer front, it’s all looking mighty dull.
“We have choices in midfield,” he said. “We have Diaby and Wilshere coming back [from injury] so we have lots of people in there.
“However I see a positive future for [Gourcuff]. I think he will come back to his best level. He has been out for four or five months and what happens to him now is normal. He’s played his first few games only on his desire and, after an injury, it’s normal to have a dip.
Yep, you read it right. Wenger has ruled himself out of the running for Gourcuff because he has Jack (fair) and Diaby coming back from extensive lay offs. The Frenchman who can’t get insured to go on holiday to America, is killing the potential career of a player who is clearly miles better. What a shame.
Wenger can’t keep on talking about purely numbers when we talk about the size of the squad. You have to look at the quality. Sure we have 3 strikers. 1 who is amazing, 1 who is awful and one so poor the manager won’t give him a run out in front of the player we know is awful. It’s the same with midfield. He can say we have 4 million players coming through the ranks, but if we loan out Frimpong and potentially Coquelin, who do we have as cover for Song? Creatively, I think we’ve struggled at times this year. Sure Jack is coming back, but he’s not an out and out creator yet. It’d be nice to have some real options off the bench when the inevitable injuries come.
Talking of strikers, it appears all the papers have been tipped off with news that Thierry is being offered a way back into Arsenal. Someone mentioned on Twitter yesterday we should ship out Almunia and give him the #1 shirt. I think that’d be a touch on the cringe side, but it’s a nice thought.
I think his signing will be a big boost to the squad. Per certainly reckons so…
“What he achieved during his career is just amazing. He has nothing more to prove in football. Today, he has the opportunity to give us a boost. A player with such stature would bring us a lot.”
Experience at this time of year is always of huge benefit. We all enjoyed having Sol Campbell back at the club a few years ago and I’m sure we’ll all enjoy seeing the class of Thierry warming up when we’re chasing a game. We lacked pace in the game against Wolves. Thierry might not have a huge amount of that, but he’s not the sort of player who needs it. He sees a run before it happens. His intelligence could have unlocked them.
Also, think of the golden oldies when it comes to strikers, Henrik Larsson, Sheringham, Bergkamp, Shearer… Inzaghi!
In other news that I missed, I caught up with the Cesc Sky Sports News interview. He spoke about his lack of privacy these days. The Spanish fans feel they have ownership of players, we tend to leave people alone in London.He said his proudest moment was meeting the Queen. He also flagged and issue many noticed last year. He said something along the lines of,
‘The team were going down and I could see there was no real passion.’
Quite a statement you’d have to say. This is where the big question marks over Wenger and his transfer policies come. If you are absolutely petrified of signing a player Diaby might have to compete with when he finally gets fit again, what message are you sending to Diaby? We’re holding a space for you… just in case things work out for you. Surely, after all this time, we should be signing Gourcuff. If Diaby comes back and can’t force his way past him, we’ll sell the player with the worst fitness record.
It doesn’t have to be as cut and shut as that, but all this fear about having a competitive squad is a nonsense in my eyes. If a player can’t maintain long term fitness, you have to address that. Will Gibbs ever last more than 10 games in a row (apparently he’s never played more than 5 according to Arsenal Action)? Will Diaby ever justify his huge wages? How long do you give them?
As for the passion. Where does it come from? Can you teach a player to be passionate. Alex Song has never struck me as a player who cares greatly for the club. But would he be so relaxed and casual clearing his lines and as flippant with back heels if he was playing under another of the top class managers? It’s questionable…
The fighting spirit of the side so far this year has been far better. That’s because we bought in players with that ready made spirit. The generation raised on the Wenger cotton wool theory of football don’t come equipped with that. Song, Bendtner, Diaby, Nasri, Denilson all had question marks over their desire… even Cesc said he wasn’t motivated during the second half of last season. A point I raised at the time and was lambasted for. That’s why I like the idea of a Podolski type signing. That’s why Vertoghen works for me. They’ve been raised elsewhere, all Wenger has to do is show them how to fit into his system and fine tune their games.
The best success stories Wenger has under his belt are generally with players who have found their desire elsewhere, through failure or different styles of coaching.
Anyway… plenty for you to rifle through today!
P.S. The boys from Phoenix Studios sent me through the first sketches of the new Le Grove site and they’re looking very sharp!
so there’s hope for multiple forward signings in the winter window Incesc.
Adebayor regrets ? Bridge used to be quite good, but he’s happy to sit on the bench earning what he does, banging the Sandford, is he really going to jump up and run his heart out for us ?!
Even Santos despite his globetrotting Party lifestyle wants to play.
havent we been looking at poldoski all season?
wenger loves his stats, he must know we are not getting goals from many sources right now
Henry will probably start on the left – and be used down the middle as a sub.
Hard to know how he will do. At least he can strike a football, which seems to be beyond several of our players. This season is a write off anyway, may as well taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
Koeman was a wanker. Had that Mourinho like way of unsettling us with his teams.
Yes can I take plesure at this song tonight cos it’s Christmas FFS And lurch fucking loves it so forget the old eye pods on and don’t suck!
Why i’m i not existed about Henry ? Maybe be cause he is as old as me and Lurch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAa3XM6_Fu8
yeah barndoor regrets, suga3 can harp on about Vela’s mismanagement till the cows… but not controlling barndoor has to be one of the more significant lapses imho.
There must have been a better way to keep his ego in check before the beyonce milan fukujima meltdown.
I don’t think Bridge is happy not playing, the interview I read suggests he’s pretty miffed – it was the same that reviewed his fitness….
This season might not live upto to what could have been in other years but I like the fact the teams trying it’s heart out to see where it can go rather than waiting for someone to hold their hand and things to fall in place.
Watched a couple of MLS games, once teams work out Henry doesn’t have the legs they won’t give him much time, though he could probably still be link man or at the end of the energy Walcott gives us, would have been better if Gervinho was around.
I am all for loaning TH14 for these 8 weeks to cover for Forehead and Camelface, but we HAVE TO add someone like Podolski…
Vertonghen on top of that would make it a very good January IMO!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ18naNwy2g
How is Jenkinson injured for this long?
from the sun
Meanwhile, strike ace Marouane Chamakh looks certain to leave next month while Arsenal hope to land Cologne’s £16million-rated German striker Lukas Podolski.
Sugar.
We still need a creative midfielder.
Ramsey is shameful infront of goal.
Barndoor should have been told to shut his trap and sent to the stiffs for a couple of weeks to let him calm down a bit, 30 goals or no 30 goals…
he is a bully, if he manages to bully someone into doing something once, he will be out of control, a good manager who won’t let that happen will make him his bitch and control him…
I don’t really care now, he scored 30 in a season and got a payrise, that’s it, he had the whole team working to put the ball at his feet and instead of thanking them he decided that the team owed it to him anyway.
He’s had another pay-rise since and he hasn’t really improved, he could have been up there with the best in the World.
hands up how many of you just leapt over to the sun to double check Incesc’s post?
ramsey came on as a sub and created 6 chances the other day
benayoun was on much longer and created 2
its at the bottom of the henry article lurch
David,
nah, we’re good with Jack coming back, Ramsey just needs a rest every now and then…
He’s not a bully, he’s just a bit thick really.
This one is for the guy from dear old london town Lurch!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMxX-QOV9tI&ob=a
Jacks highly over-rated.
Ramsey has been shyte all season.
Aren’t people beyond that, I want concrete confirmation on Arsenal.com.
Chamakh is already saying his goodbyes it seems:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfQc-J7E99I&feature=related
totally thick, not really a bully just poor impulse control.
Heh, David on a wind-up, this has to be a different David.
Ade’s quite thick.
Hence the struggle to understand the offsides rule.
However,
Ive always said how Wenger dealt with him was just shameful management.
Stories of the African Clique. The Bendtner rivalry.
Its all bollocks.
you’ve never understood my taste in music Kwik, but I love you still.
With Jack back there’s at least some variation in midfielf, instead of dropping deeper, Arteta can move forward.
The problem with Benayoun and Rosicky is without the energy around them or Fullbacks overlapping they don’t have the legs to push forward, create and track back doing their defensive jobs.
Ramsey just doesn’t have the experience of picking and choosing what he should do, and instead covers for it with sheer stamina.
Incesc – Players always seem to better as subs. it’s actually an advantage.
It’s like when Wally used to come on a sub, set up a goal or score, and everyone went on about how great he was and how he should be starting.
Of course he starts and scores sweet fuck all.
Naa Keyser no windup.
Not been impressed with Ramsey at all this season.
What sums him up was that pass RVP gave him through on goal and he slipped and booted it to Row Q
Be honest and admit that Song has been the chief creator in midfield.
i wonder what odds you can get on chamakh for top scorer at the ACN
your just a r*cist David admit it.
from twitter
type marouane chamakh into google translate, french to english
hahahahahaha
genius
David – At some point Adebayor has to take some responsibility, watch the Walcott run and the goal he set up against Liverpool in the Champions League.
The Villa thing sums up Ramsey because it shows his inexperience, Cesc wouldn’t have got to that with that much time, instead of taking time, Ramsey didn’t want to break stride and let the defenders come back and over-stretched, Cesc would have said fuck it even if I don’t get the shot off lets see what else is on offer.
Exactly.
We forget Jack was basically a DM and that allowed Cesc free roam to cause havoc.
When Jacks a pure talent but he still needs to learn it from a more experienced head imo
Hahahaha Lurch
don’t understand how you can sing Kalou’s praises all day long then slate Ramsey.
does not compute.
Ramsey’s control of the ball is pretty fucking class, hardly loses possession and does a fuck load of graft off the ball – OK needs to work on finishing but his movement is nigh on WC imho.
lurch talk soon leaving london and going back to seville!
I am more into norwich guys with tool’s that can be pulled?
lol
the kalou thing had to be a wind up.
Dembele hardly loses possession either Lurch.
Should i call him World class too?
best of luck with that kwik
Dembele never gives the ball to anyone when they want it either, he takes the absolute biscuit.
All i’ll say about Kalou is the stats speak for itself.
Someone coming off the bench that averages 10 goals and 4 assists a season is hardly shyte.
Okay abit one dimensional agreed.
But lets put it in context. I wasnt “singing praises” i was looking for a replacement for Arshavin.
It will probably happen anyway. He’s free in the summer.
I said ‘nigh on’…
but yeah Dembele’s been getting rave reviews of late.
still doesn’t justify “Not been impressed with Ramsey at all this season.”
sounds like Diaby Keyser.
im not so sure we should give up on arshavin just yet, not till the summer anyway.
Dembele is not the biscuit sweet thing.
No need to justify anything Lurch.
If not losing the ball is a quality that makes you class then Heskey is world class.
Ramsey’s got an engine to him. He does the hollywood pass now and then.
Thats about it.
You’ll struggle to tell me two defense splitting passes he’s done asides from the one that he put Gerinho thru for RVP’s tap in.
how did they do that translate thing incesc?
no idea mate, just saw it on twitter
Seen the guy live before I seen thought he was good to a point not what you think. All the wrong decisions we have enough of them?
playing on my shit memory’s futile, It doesn’t make your point any better.
Diaby even fleetingly has shown glimpses of some real quality, haven’t watched Dembele too much but he doesn’t seem to do some of the stuff Diaby can at his best.
Maybe Dembele doesn’t trust his team-mates as much and knows he’s almost their playmaker now.
Dembele’s decent, but he isn’t under too much pressure at Fulham in comparison to Ramsey, isn’t National team Captain, has 3-4 years on him and hasn’t spent too much time out with injury I don’t think.
Haven’t watched Dembele really but I recall MOTD cooing over him over the past few weekends.
the chip for gervinho against stoke, he set walcott up a few times too, one a suberb ball against west brom that rvo finished after the keeper saved.
Doesnt take away from my point either.
And the point is, for now anyways is that we are scraping for some creativity in the middle.
You know Ramsey is dodgy at best when song is your best creative player.
Its has always been difficult to get the ball off Dembele. He’s just built like a tank.
That means fuck all when it comes to creativity.
i remember one cross to theo early doors which he volleyed and a link up v the chavs but thats it I guess….
He’s still far from disappointing, I’d hold him in the frustrating category for a while longer before downgrading to disappointing.
Do not repeat get excited about Dembele there is a reason he is playing for Fulham and not Arsenal.
I can bet you RVP has more assists than Ramsey.
Lurch I hope I am wrong about Theo. Still the Jury is still out?
The potential and the talent is there undoubtedly.
But hes just not cutting it at the moment for me imo.
And when Jack comes back. Thats another DM for you.
Will Arteta take a more advanced role?
Can he do it?
wilshere isnt a dm
he did that last season when fabregas was here and playing much more advanced.
jack will move forward now arteta is here imo
only 1 more, not really a deal breaker is it.
ramsey’s got better stats than Modric.
The criticism isn’t really justified I’d say he’s frsutrating because of how close he could be to the next level, the Everton game where he swivelled and tried to go for the far corner, if he’d done the sort of chip that put through Gervinho he’d probably have scored.
This is the modern game really, you get hyped up soo quickly and then told you’re a flop even quicker, Dembeles 24, I doubt he’s done half of what Ramsey has.
more assists than wayne rooney
David I would have a lot of timed for Theo cos he is got better
He is good enough for England but is he good enough for Arsenal
Possibly not cos I don’t want those less than quality spuds!
I dont really rate Modric.
He’s a diving little rat faced ferret.
Van Vart has been the player of that team for me.
Song’s the DM, Wilshere and Arteta could probably just float around in the space in front.
the same assists as yaya toure
So if we are satisfied with Ramsey and Jack.
Why all the calls for Gourcuff?
more assits than Ballotelli
who said we’re satisfied?
Fact Spurs are better than Arsenal ATM Because of Mr Ass Hole Fucking Wenger!
Talk soon!
Rooney’s a striker. Toure’s a DM.
Santos probably has more assists/goals than Modric. The c8nt.
we’re just discussing the semantics of disappointment no?
and r*acism
There are only a handful of games Ramsey’s played well this season.
Thats a fact.
er RVP’s a striker as well…
Toure isn’t a classical DM, have not noticed Nasri getting benched every 58 minutes so Toure can push up in support of Aguero?
Fuck me, so basically Ramsey has to carry everything ? We had Nasri, Cesc and even Wilshere last year and now Ramsey was to slot in and fill it all ? We need another creative outlet because Gervinho gives you something similar to Walcott, we need another Nasri to rotate, or someone else to score goals.
Incesc
Who knows what Wengers going to do?
Jack played at DM cuz Denilson is pathetic.
I hope Diaby comes back soon.
better stats than heskey.
what so he can disappear again?
you won’t stop till our whole team is black will you David?
Good night my fellow grovers I fucking love you all literally!
I Have still got Yoyourt stain’s on my pant’s.
simple david
arteta
wilshere ramsey
podolski gerv
rvp
bench
walcott, gourcuff, benayoun, coquelin
Okay Lurch,
So the reason why I compared RVP to Ramsey in the first place is because Ramsey’s in a position where he SHOULD be getting more assists.
Keyser,
Lets not go over board, its not all black and white with me. I understand youre not either world class or shyte. That much is clear. You go through growing pains. Fine.
But im going off of what the team needs and Ramsey isnt it at the moment.
the reason I compared him to modric is every pundit and football manager is comparing him to maradonna….
care to continue?
Pundits?
Which pundits would that be?
The same pundits that have been calling Bale the best player in the world?
more than likely.
gareth has pretty good stats.
So let me ask you this Lurch.
Who would you rather have.
Ramsey or Modric
Ramsey’s got five assists considering the chances Walcott/ Gervinho have cocked up I’m not surprised he doesn’t have more.
Also, he’s basically only got those two and Van Persie because there’s no-one overlapping and unless he runs forward there’s only one person in the box.
You’re asking too much.
wait for it…
wait for it…..
HE”S GOT BETTER FUCKING STATS THAN KALOU
MUAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
:S
I dunno David I don’t watch the scum much….
he his a rat faced cunt, and Rambo’s ours so I’m always gonna be a little protective.
There’s typically no one in the box Keyser.
Havent you seen Arsenal play?
RVP is in midfield half the time.
I used to think that Bendtners just too thick to understand running in behind defenders but i realize thats just the way we train.
But Kalou’s coming off the bench though. His minutes are not comparable.
And from what ive just read. Bales being played through the middle.
haha
What we really need is cutting edge upfront. Two players who are goalscorers first. Moussa Sow and Podolski.
but he’s on the bench because he’s shit.
don’t ruin this with logic dream10 jeez
Alex is often on the bench for chelsea.
Is he shyte?
David – There’s no-one in the box because without anyone overlapping, there’s no width if Gervinho/ Walcott cut in.
This is ridiculous now, you’re going to extraordinary lengths to slate Ramsey this is almost worse than the StuVid Bendtner/Adebayor debates.
most definitely.
AVB’s pretty r*cist as well though so we shouldn’t discount that.
Id take Alex in a heartbeat.
The guy is dynamite.
Shyte players on Chelsea’s bench
Alex, Anelka, Torres, Drogba, Malouda, Joshua McEachran, Raul Meireles
bet you wouldn’t take Torres, McEachran or Meireles!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/dec/29/thierry-henry-arsenal
Keyser,
Give the over-lapping fullbacks thing a rest.
Santos has only been out for less than 2 weeks ffs.
And JD is not the sort thats shy to go forward.
You almost make sense at-times but so close yet so far.
Is Alex a hybrid ?!
Hahahahahahaha
Id take any of those players thats why i mentioned them!
I couldve easily mentioned Lampard!
Oh wait…
Djourou not shy to get forward ? Heh, officially this is now worse than the great StuVid debates.
Anelka?!
fuck sake I’m reporting you John Terry’s inquisitor.
wow. thats a pearler, JD as a roaming wingback and you have a problem with the wesh wiz kid.
FML
good breakdown of the TH affair Keyser.
Keyser do you watch Arsenal
We’ve scored from a few JD crosses you know
Admittedly i prefer Jenkinson at RB. But only because his hair is black.
sources confirm KJ is in fact a mousy brown, what say you?
Lurch
We have mental stwegnth, I really believe in this team. We have enough strikers, dont forget Rosicky, Vermaelen and Mertesacker can play as strikers and Almunia can play fullback as well.
I really believe we will achieve something. Judge me in May.
Hopefully that is better.
jesus christ has more chance of getting on the end of one of JD’s crosses.
just saying
Yeah, you plum, Ramsey scored the winning goal against Marseille from one.
Did you only watch the part where Djourou crossed it ?!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2080032/Blackburn-ready-sell-Junior-Hoilett-8m.html
Black Messi boys!!!
Jesus Christ or Ramsey
hahahahahahahaha
sublime symmetry in effect
Though Ramsey hasn’t tried ressurecting himself yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CzocBkrWpA
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2080044/Thierry-Henry-wear-No-12-shirt-Arsenal.html
Keyser says:
December 30, 2011 at 02:17
Yeah, you plum, Ramsey scored the winning goal against Marseille from one.
—————————————-
So what were you saying about width again?
gotta end it on high,
thanks for the laugh gents.
luckily jesus is returning for 2 months
I cant believe we’ve wasted all this time talking about Henry.
He’ll probably sit on the bench the whole time.
“So what were you saying about width again?”
Ramsay, say what now.
Yes.
Ramsey’s one and only goal is thanks to the width offered by JD.
What now.
Night Lurch.
Ramsey scored against Spurs to, sorry TWO.
I AM NOT EXCITED BY THE RETREAD THAT IS THIERRY. HE IS NOT A WARRIOR LIKE CAMPBELL OR VIERA. HE DID NOT WIN ANYTHING AS CAPTAIN AND IS NOT A LEADER. HE IS PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE A RUN IN WITH VAN PERSIE. WENGER SHOULD OFFLOAD ARSHAVIN, CHAMAKH, DIABY, ALUMUNIA, AND SQUILLACH AND BRING IN PODOLSKI AND A GOOD WINGER. WE ARE TWO PLAYERS AWAY FROM GREATNESS AND THERE IS NO NEED TO GET INTO REVERSE GEAR TO GET THE LIKES OF HENRY ABOARD. ANOTHER POOR MOVE BY THE BOARD AND WENGER AND WITH THAT GOES OUR CHANCE OF PIPPING CHELSEA TO FOURTH PLACE. FORGET ABOUT OVERTAKING ANY OF THE THE TOP THREE.
If Arsene wenger had any respect for himself or the club he would resign before he makes a bigger clown off himself,as for Henry the legend,the man could not wait to get out off here the last time,this crap would not be accepted at any other club in the world,once again the paying customers are getting fucked with a smile.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-i-might-not-sign-a-full-back
gr8!
not always do i agree with u Pedro but have to give it to u today.i kind of incline to an akb (please dont kill me Gambon and co) BUT, the motivation a manager like Mourinho gives to the players makes them feel they have to win..and this is where passion comes from and value of the badge.