Why did we sign Squillaci? Strikers? We got loads of strikers! You only have to look.

September 9, 2010

I was watching the clip of Squillaci playing his first game against Blackburn and wondered why we bought him? He came from a pretty good side that was playing in the Champions league qualifiers, in fact Seville are a top Spanish side, we already had Vermaelen and spent big on Koscielny so where does Squillaci fit in?

I am happy we signed another centre back and have always had the belief that we need 4 top defenders in that position to get through a season and we didn’t just buy him as a spare as 30 is hardly on the heap.

So the question is, did we sign him as the main centre back or the spare, time will tell, but I hope he starts against Bolton so I can see for myself, he looks the part anyway.

The other area for concern is the absence of star striker Robin Van Persie. I love Robin, always have, always will, the trouble is, Robin is always injured, I suspect he’s been injured more in his Arsenal career than fit, I wouldn’t mind betting he’s had more time off than Rosicky, now I’m not having a dig, I’m just stating what I believe to be true, if it’s not, then it sure does feel that way.

So we have to plan for most of the season without him, now I said in the summer that Eduardo should be replaced, I was shouted down in some quarters as I was told Chamakh replaced Eduardo, I said Chamakh replaced Adebayor, however, that’s just semantics.

So I started to look at our strikers, Arshavin (sort of) Chamakh, Theo (injured) Robin (injured) Bendtner (injured) now 3 of the 5 are always injured for long spells so is it time to say that they will always be suspect and start to plan for life without them? I think so, but do we need to buy? Maybe not.

We are forgetting we have Carlos Vela, now if he’s not a striker and we don’t intend to use him, then we should get rid of him, me, I would give him a run as I think he will be a star, but he needs a Denilson type run, not a few cameos, he needs to replace Theo and play in every game, then I think we will see the real Carlos Vela.

We also have JET, he’s a striker, same with him, give him a run, or try Afobe or Aneke, try any of them, but please don’t revert to the lone striker like we did last year with Arshavin up front on his Jack Jones, we have strikers, use them, if we don’t think they are good enough, then have a clear out and buy some, I think they are good enough though and in January, we have Wellington arriving and he looks the part.

And if anyone thinks I use too many commas, sorry, but that’s what they’re for. Punctufuckination, and as I write for a living, I’m allowed the indulgence. Thanks.

Have a nice day grovers, tomorrow Pedro makes an appearance so the wit will replace the angst!

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Posted by Geoff

Another England game, another Arsenal injury. Happy days.

September 8, 2010

Theo Walcott gets injured again whilst playing for injury feeder club England, great! What is it about our players that they keep picking up injuries? Theo is supposed to be out for 2 weeks, but that will no doubt end up as four, just when he was starting to look the business.

The reserves beat Blackburn 4-3 and Squillaci made his debut alongside Djourou, the first goal was a Djourou mistake but the fact that we won 4-3 is a little worrying as we still seem to leak goals, but a win is a win and it’s that what we should celebrate, Denilson also made his comeback.

Theo not playing the next few games is not so bad as it gives others the chance to put a marker down and it’s still early doors, so hopefully the others can step up to the plate, the under 21′s won handsomely and Jack played a massive part, so we’ll give him man of the match, well done Jack. This is what Pearce had to say – ‘Jack gave us a lift when he came on and credit to him. He had a real impact in this game’

Yesterday another Arsenal blog ‘the armchair gooner’ wrote a piece on us, this time it was in defence, this time I broke my golden rule and read it. I have to say it was well written and offered a balanced view, I will be adding them to our blog roll and you can read it here, so thanks for offering the other side, I also read the comments, I will say again, we only moderate people that start trouble, and a number of your commenters were people I have thrown off for abuse, disaffected grovers, but well done to our regulars that told the truth, we value you.

So finally we can look forward to seeing our heroes perform this weekend, we get to see Bolton and whilst they are no pushovers, we should get three points from this one, I wonder who will replace Theo, he has a choice, Wilshere, Eboue, Rosicky, Vela, Nasri, Denilson or maybe even JET.

I would like to see Squillaci start with Koscielny of Vermaelen to see if we have a promising centre back partnership beginning to take shape, Fabianski was in goal yesterday so let’s hope we don’t see him this weekend, anyone who concedes 4 at home has to be suspect.

With Robin, Theo and Bendtner all missing we are already in danger of having few options up front, maybe we will see vela getting a chance to impress, I hope so, I like Carlos and think if he’s given the chance he may turn into a big and important player, so who would I have against bolton? Try this and let me know what you think.

Almunia

Sagna Squillaci Vermaelen Gibbs

Song Cesc Wilshere

Arshavin Chamakh Vela

I would have put Rosicky in but I think I would like to see how this lot do first. I would also like to see Nasri but as he’s been out for a while I think he’ll feature as a sub, though something tells me he’ll have a midfield that includes his favourite Denilson, or Diaby because of his size.

As I said in earlier posts I have a feeling this could be Denilson’s season, but if it’s not, then he has to move on, 4 years of trying is enough, but he may just do a Flamini so I’m prepared to wait.

I put Clichy on the bench because I think he has made a few errors this season, and with Gibbs playing well and in the England set up, I think he deserves a shot, he may fit in better with the new look centre pairing as well.

On a lighter note that Wellington Silva looks a prospect doesn’t he? Maybe we now have the worlds best prospect, like Barca had Messi, he is going straight into the first team in January, so we’ll not have long to wait.

The Bolton game is followed by the spuds one, don’t expect to see a weakened team there, so Arsene, don’t field one yourself as there will only be one outcome, this may be our only chance of silverware this season, so please don’t throw it away, escpecially to them.

Something to ponder Grovers, have a great day.

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Posted by Geoff

Monty Python, Life of Brian – ‘let he who has never sinned cast the first stone’ thwack! Muuuum!

September 7, 2010

Remember that everyone? It was one of cinemas greatest takes, and the message was that we have all sinned so don’t be so quick to judge others when they have.

Good call and so true, I know I have sinned, but my sinning never broke the law, my sinning never hurt anyone, unless of course they deserved it, but Englands footballers keep doing it, you’ll have to trawl the whole team to find the good boys these days.

What I find appalling is they keep doing it, once is a mistake, but to keep doing it and then say it’s a private matter when they are beacons to our youth is just plain wrong, when these guys have so much, the world at their feet, it really is ‘I can do what I want because I’m a footballer’ No wonder we have so many wrong ‘uns in the country today.

I don’t know if what Jack is accused of is true, he hasn’t said a word, but if the picture with his mobile is true, then it’s naughty, but more of a boyish prank, no one got hurt, and I hope he got a real bollocking from both his parents and his manager, but what he did wasn’t as bad as what his England team mates have done, the line is endless, Rooney, twice, Terry, Gerrard, Cole, no wonder the younger players think bad behaviour is acceptable, thank god that Jack has been outed early, now perhaps he can get on with the serious business of football.

How can the players learn when their own ex-manager Sven was a serial bad boy, when the FA boss Palios was sharing a bird with that same man, we need to add ethics to their training, to let them know that what they do is unacceptable. They need to add fidelity and good manners to their ‘kick racism out of football’ mantra.

Ok lesson in social behaviour over, Arsene, time to crack down, time to add manners, social acceptance, crossing, defending and goal keeping to the curriculum.

Ryo Miyaichi is the latest teen sensation to join our young 63 strong group of under 21′s, he could have joined us or Ajax, he said it was a tough decision, he chose to join us to play football, but he went to them for the broken leg. I hope this kid is good and it’s not a cynical ploy to gain interest and shirt sales in Japan. If he is a really good winger, then maybe he can be our very own Eden Hazard, time will tell.

You may or may not be surprised to hear I didn’t get any form of response to the questions I asked the management yesterday, ho hum, was I really expecting one? Maybe I should just arrive at the Q&A and blurt them out, they don’t know who I am, they sure would if I did though, wouldn’t they!

Well England play tonight, I wonder if Johan will be playing? That would be interesting, and if he plays, will he be a centre back or a defensive midfielder? We’ll find out soon enough and once that’s over, we can all look forward to welcoming Owen Coyle and we can set Jack Wilshere loose on them, I’m looking forward to that!

Reports suggest we are about to raid Barcelona’s youth ranks and snap up Oriol Romeu, the defensive midfielder that will struggle to get playing time now they signed Mascharano, what makes us think he’ll get playing time with us? He’ll be behind Denilson, Song and Diaby and bringing him in will kill Eastmond and Frimpong, when fit.

Whilst it would be justice, I think we ought to have learned that bringing in players with Barca DNA is not a smart move, bringing in players with Spanish DNA is not so smart either, look at Merida and Almunia, get my drift! No, I have nothing against Spanish players but we’re not having the greatest time with them are we.

I mentioned the amount of French players and how it worried me, not because they are french, but my fear of cliques, Koscielny said yesterday that because we had so many french players, he feels at home and settled in quickly, so the ying and the yang there.

Anyway, not to long to go now, so grit your teeth and watch England tonight, we could have a number of players on show, Walcott, Gibbs and Djourou, what a shame the boss didn’t listen to my plea of 2 years ago, we could have had Hart, for me the most improved player of the last 10 years, a proper improvement.

Hopefully Jack will be back to face Lithuania tomorrow, though why he’s not in the big boys side is beyond me.

Have a great day grovers, it’s getting closer!

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Posted by Geoff

Ask me any question you like as long as I like it. Well boss, I have just 3. And it’s our birthday today!

September 6, 2010
Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn came out of retirement to sing us a song and put her name in the hat for new keeper!

So Le grove is 4 years old today, for all the people that make this blog the best Arsenal forum and the most commented on (682,770 and counting!), a big thank you, we still write 365 days a year and we don’t take ads, we still offer up an alternative for real fans and we will always love the Arsenal, we don’t always see eye-to-eye with what the club do, but that’s what makes us different, if people don’t like us, don’t read, but for those regulars that do, thank you for making us what we are today, independent and a fun place to chat all things Arsenal.

Back to the headline!

It all sounds a bit like ‘Our dear leader’ Kim Jong il in North Korea. Sit down, shut up and get what you’re given, then of course, say thanks.

Now before anyone gets on their high horse and tells me I am comparing our leader to their dear leader whose country murders and tortures its people, I’m really not. I am however drawing a parallel with the management methodology, how? Read on.

A Q&A with shareholders is a chance for smaller individual shareholders to ask the manager questions on subjects they generally feel are not being answered in the day to day scheme of things and never get asked in press conferences or the lip service paid by arsenal.com

The last Q&A was when an irritated shareholder asked Arsene Wenger why he would sign a geriatric defender like Mikel Silvestre, well Wenger was angry he should dare be questioned and not praised, but sycophant Bob Wilson was apoplectic and very, very angry that anyone dare question our dear leader.

That kind of shows that our Bob has never had a real job and really thinks that Mr Wenger is way too important to ever question, well he obviously forgot he did just that when Stuart Taylor wasn’t getting played, and he was the goal keeping coach, hmmm bit hypocritical that isn’t it Bob?

Anyway, as a result of that, the next Q&A was cancelled and the re-scheduled one is on a vetted questions only basis, in other words only questions he likes can be asked, well frankly, what’s the point of doing it then? That’s the parallel with Kim Jong il, he won’t allow any form of criticism either, see where I’m coming from now?

After the last one, Arsene said judge me in May, well May came and went, he wasn’t judged and has since had a pay rise with a new 3 year contract.

Unsackable, unquestionable, no one to answer to and results don’t matter, as long as we finish in the top 4.

Now I’m not suggesting he is sacked, far from it, but I do think he should be answerable, a series of checks and balances be put into place and all the arse kissers and toadies he surrounds himself should be thrown out. We should have Watchdogs, like some areas of government do, groups that stop the country becoming dictatorships.

David Dein was the last to provide that and he was thrown out for daring to disagree.

I’m a shareholder boss, let me ask you a few questions, first of all the judge me in May statement, were you judged? You said it, not me.

Onto Cesc, he said this at the weekend to a Spanish newspaper, ‘In the end I had to stay, but the content of my conversation with Arsene Wenger will remain private’

I bet it will, but if we find out that you were given even more cash to stay for one more year, I for one will be livid, the fact that Barca are keeping the number 4 shirt free, suggests to me they will get Cesc next season and we will promote Ramsey, if that is the case, it’s easy to see where the money goes, on bribing our players.

So that will be my second question Arsene, have you paid Cesc more money to stay, saying if we win nothing, you will let him go?

My third and final question is this, I don’t want to know what you earn, all I want to know is do you earn a bonus if you don’t spend the transfer budget, in other words, do you get more money if the club make more money?

Let’s move on to people who live off the popularity of other entities. Parasites. Let’s start with the twat from Togo.

Adebayor who can’t get press coverage anymore unless he talks about Arsenal is at it again, Ade time to shut up mate and concentrate on getting into your own team, ManCity fans are beginning to get pissed off.

It also reminds me of another Arsenal blog (sort of) that writes about us to get anybody to comment on his.

I know this because he devoted his whole blog to us yesterday (and another one earlier in the week) and quite a few of his readers came over to see what we are all about, read yesterday afternoons comments to find out what happened, that’s how I know, by the way, they are still with Le Grove, another smart move by our blog stalker, no brains and now, no comments. They all defected!

So today’s post hasn’t been a criticism, it’s really been three questions I would like answered, I am a shareholder, I won’t be going to the Q&A because it’s another staged, sanitised, blowing smoke up the managers arse session, so I’ll ask my questions here, let’s see if anybody from Arsenal has the good grace to answer them, you’ll find my email at the top, I know you read us.

We all love our team and we will get behind the players, even if the donkey from Shrek was our keeper, we’re sure he’s not, but we are all in shock as to why you didn’t sort out the keeper situation after you told our top two they weren’t good enough, and you did, by putting in a bid for Schwarzer you told them just that.

Too late now so we all hope Almunia is thick skinned and has a blinding season, sack the flapping at set pieces and he could be the man, Bob, you were a great keeper, tell him. We can all see it.

Interestingly with the injury to spud Dawson, Gallas will get his chance to play against us, that will be interesting, the spuds will have to cheer him and that will be worth the admission alone, lets see them cheering a Gooner. Even more reason to put out a strong squad now, we can’t let them beat us with an Arsenal reject now can we?

What sort of young team can we expect, here’s my idea of a second stream.

Mannone

Eboue Squillaci Djourou Gibbs

Wilshere Nasri Diaby

Rosicky Chamakh Vela

Now I would be happy if he fielded that team, second string but strong all the same, what do you think?

Finally, I love the squad now, I think we look physically stronger than last season and they have that glint in their eye, the ‘we won’t be beaten’ look from yesteryear. But will you just tell our captain to stop talking to the Spanish press, surely everything that needs to be said has been said a 1,000 times already.

Have a great day Grovers, not long left until we get to win another 3 points against another team from the North West.

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Posted by Geoff

City are a bigger club says Ade-the-whore, John Lukic speaks, and everything in the garden looks Rosey!

September 5, 2010

So Togo twit Adebayor says that Man Shitty are a bigger club than Arsenal, hmmm, so why do they live in a council house then you dimwit?

People often forget that after the Commonwealth games that City rented the council stadium and moved out of Maine Road, so it’s much easier to do what they want without having to pay for a stadium. Plus they sold their arses to a rich Arab for a glass of mint tea and a lamb Kebab.

Unlike us of course, that had to spend £350mil on out new stadium, still that debt has almost gone and we will soon be buying players for fun. Not that we need them as our team will win the EPL and ECL this season without spending money, you ask the boss.

John Lukic entered the goal keeping fray today and said we needed a top class keeper as we wouldn’t achieve silverware without one, he suggested Reina, Valdes or Julio Cesar as great options for us, but that won’t happen as we have Almunia and Fabianski, and for all you doubting Thomas’s out there beware, Almunia will be the keeper we wanted and we save a shedload of money. And if for some reason Almunia has an off day or is injured, then in will step Fabianski, Poland’s number one, or he soon will be.

We are almost sorted out at the back now, we have just bought Squillaci, not that I know much about him, but the boss does, and as no one else was trying to buy him I suspect we have unearthed another gem in the Koscielny mode, Djourou should stay uninjured this season (for some strange reason) and I believe that Sagna and Clichy have been having crossing lessons and extra training, defensive lessons will take place during the course of the season.

We managed to get 2 games out of Robin this season before his first injury and although Holland got a whole world cup out of him, fear not, because we have Nikki Bendtner waiting in the wings, once of course he recovers from his groin operation.

I was getting really excited watching Frimpong this season, until he got injured, but I wasn’t too bothered as we had Denilson as back up, once he gets over his injury.

At least Song and Diaby are now fit, I’m not sure if either are DM’s though, as the boss has Song down as a centre back and Diaby seems to be playing as an attacking one.

Diaby on form for me is a thing of beauty, I hope he plays more on form than not because when he’s not up for it, he seems to give the ball away a lot.

Still we are second in the league and haven’t been beaten yet and considering we have played two teams from the Northwest, that is some achievement, I just hope we play a strong side against the spuds and that Arsene realises how much beating them means to us, Arsene, we gain nothing from losing, put out a side that can at least get a replay, that much you owe the fans.

In truth we won’t really know if we are ready to challenge until we play the chavs, and that will happen soon enough, I believe we now have a couple of centre backs that can out bully an ageing Drogba. Terry and Lumphard are getting on a bit and if we can have a few more first time shots then who knows eh? Maybe Arsene, in fact maybe Arsene Knows Best!

See if anyone gets that.

Not a lot to talk about today other than Wayne Rooney’s private life, so have fun Grovers, fill your boots, everything in the Arsenal garden is rosey!

551 Comments | New Review | Permalink
Posted by Geoff

Arshavin admits he hasn’t scored a spectacular goal in years, but he is more effective.

September 4, 2010

This is something that we always seem to do to our players, we sign them because they score wonderful goals and have tricks and flicks in abundance, then we make them pass the ball to death.

Remember the youtube clips of Nasri? He looked like a young George Best, then he joined us and although a nice player, he didn’t look like the Nasri in the youtube clips, now I always put that down to the different leagues, but after the Arshavin comments, I’m thinking maybe it’s the Arsenal style, and if so, why do we buy them in the first place?

I remember watching a young Martin Hayes make his debut under George Graham, 23 I think, we all said, cor who’s that winger, he’s good and what a shot, the bloke next to me said, ‘don’t worry son, George will beat that out of him’

Ha, ha, I say the same thing to Pedro if someone has a first time shot, remember Theo, he was scoring for fun at Southampton at 15, he joined us and then forgot where the goal is, yes I realise how tough our league is, but it now looks as though Theo has remembered what he used to do and the shots are coming back, it also looks like Nasri is doing what he did at Marseille again, so on that basis I hope that Andre has been watching, take on the shot more often Andre and it will happen.

The four at Liverpool were all pretty much run at hit, first time stuff, don’t think about it.

Chamakh has said how intense he finds training, the Premier league and English football, he said they play at 100mph and the ball never goes out of play, if it’s that hard, then why don’t England dominate football?

Talking of England, Gooner Defoe scored a hatrick and we beat Bulgaria 4 zip, good news for England, but I think that the FA and Umbro have got a massive cheek changing their kit again, especially after the world cup fiasco, they should give it away, not rip the fans off again, shame on you Brooking you greedy sod.

I know it’s boring without football, maybe it’s time to take a month off over Christmas and bung all the internationals in that period, if you are good enough you’ll play, if you’re not bothered you won’t, who cares anyway, these stupid little breaks are screwing up club football and if you’re like me, that’s the important one.

Have a great day Grovers, next weekend football’s coming home!

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Posted by Geoff

Jack Wilshere to save Arsenal a shedload next season.

September 3, 2010

Jack Wilshere has been practising his photography this weekend at a London nightclub, he apparently he is getting so good now that next season he is going to take the team picture.

So now the press are having a go at our Jack for shoving his mobile up a birds frock, well correct me if I’m wrong but he is 18 and from what I know about photography you’d only get a picture if the person’s frock you were clipping was a micro one and had they been sensibly dressed and not attention seeking in a Kensington night club next to footballers on a night out, it wouldn’t have happened.

And suddenly this bird’s name is all over the press, I bet she made sure they spelt her name right didn’t she, I’ve seen these types at clubs, and they only go there to snare a footballer, most of the are just predators, they don’t take their eyes of their target, shame on them.

Look at people like Peter Crouch, would he have a bird like that if he wasn’t a footballer, he looks like Lurch and Rooney’s wife gets masses of money just because she married him, it’s disgraceful, involvement with premiership footballers to some women is now a career.

So Jack should be hailed as a hero and gets a sex pest one instead, very unfair in my book.

Not to mention that Jack can’t give his side of the story either, my goodness the press really hate us don’t they?

We also tried to get Lloris, Given and Begovic on the last day of the window as well, so if those stories are to be believed, then that makes 4 keepers, not sure I do believe it but it’s my job to report.

In the Mail yesterday they reported on the winners and losers in the window, Almunia got a ‘winners’ tag for keeping his job and the Arsenal fans got the ‘losers’ tag because we failed to get a keeper, go figure!

I was thinking about the 56 or so under 21′s we put forward, if you add the loanees to that, it would take it past 60, add the new boys who aren’t even on there, that makes 63, plus the 20 grown ups that makes some 83 footballers at our club, now is that really necessary? And how much does that cost us? It’s like we are trying to stop everyone else buying youth.

Considering how many actually graduate, our percentages aren’t that impressive are they.

I heard that Chezzer is now going out on loan, so it looks like Almunia is it then, I’ll get behind him, of course I will, but you would think that Bob Wilson as an ex-coach would tell him what he does wrong and help him put it right, Gerry Peyton, if he’s the keeper coach, ought to be replaced, as he hasn’t done it.

Spare a thought for Cashley who will be divorced today, he really has no luck in life does he? I feel for him, I also feel for Ade, poor sod went up to Manchester to be loved and all that happens is he gets dropped.

I fancy Jack to play against Bolton, show Coyle what he learned in his time up there, I was also wondering how Jack would fare as a DM, he has vision, a ripper of a tackle, speed and intelligence, why shouldn’t a skilful player be a DM?

Just a thought. Have a great day Grovers, it’s the weekend tomorrow!

P.S. If you want read something different, check out Pedro’s article over at Tatty nut nut.

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Posted by Geoff

Nasri’s back for the Bolton game, good news at last! Squads are announced too.

September 2, 2010

Well it’s nice to start the day with some good news for once, Nasri is back in training, good, he can take Cesc’s place, just kidding, but he was playing well until his injury, in fact he was the player we all saw on youtube clip at Marseille .

There were many sites berating Wenger yesterday for his inability to sign a keeper, but I hear from one of our regulars, it was in fact the negotiating skills of Ivan and his team that messed up that one, still it does prove we went back and tried again, which in turn means that Wenger wanted someone better that what we have.

Some sites unsurprisingly backed the boss, how anyone can think the options we have is good news is beyond me, they must have low, or no expectations in life.

Still we move on, of course I will get behind any player that wears the Arsenal shirt, it doesn’t mean I have to like it though does it.

Other good news is I read we have managed to sign that 17 old Japanese kid with the broken leg, phew, thought we’d lost him, nothing like planning long term.

So Barclays announced all the squads yesterday, here’s ours, have a look at the size of our under 21′s, now we can see why our wage bill is so high, I think it’s a bit unnecessary as 90% of that lot will never see the light of day. The yes and the no bits are home grown or not.

1 Almunia, Manuel No
2 Arshavin, Andrey No
3 Bendtner, Nicklas Yes
4 Chamakh, Maroune No
5 Clichy, Gael Yes
6 Denilson, Pereka Neves Yes
7 Diaby, Vassiriki Abou No
8 Djourou-Gbadjere, Johan Danon Yes
9 Eboue, Emmanuel No
10 Fabianski, Lukasz No
11 Fabregas Soler, Francesc Yes
12 Koscielny, Laurent No
13 Mannone, Vito Yes
14 Nasri, Samir No
15 Rosicky, Tomas No
16 Sagna, Bacary No
17 Song Bilong, Alexandre Dimitri Yes
18 Van Persie, Robin No
19 Vermaelen, Thomas No
20 Squillaci, Sebastien No

Arsenal – Under 21 players (Contract and Scholars)

Afobe, Benik
Aneke, Chukwuemeka Ademola Amachi
Angha, Martin Yves
Ansah, Zak Andy
Barazite, Nacer
Bartley, Kyle
Bihmoutine, Samir
Boateng, Daniel
Botelho, Pedro Roberto Silva
Brislen-Hall, George
Bunjaku, Alban
Campbell, James Andrew
Charles-Cook, Reice Jordan
Coquelin, Francis
Cruise, Thomas Daniel
Deacon, Roarie
Eastmond, Craig Leon
Ebecilio, Kyle Stephen Joel
Edge, James Michael
Emmanuel-Thomas, Jay-Aston
Evina, Cedric David
Freeman, Luke Anthony
Frimpong, Emmanuel Yan
Galindo, Samuel
Gibbs, Kieran James Ricardo
Glasgow, Benjamin Luke
Hajrovic, Sead
Henderson, Conor Alan
Hoyte, Gavin Andrew
Lansbury, Henri George
Martinez, Damain Emiliano
McDermott, Sean
Meade, Jernade Ronnel
Miquel-Pons, Ignasi
Monakana, Jeffrey
Monteiro, Elton Almada
Murphy, Rhys Philip Elliot
Nordtveit, Havard
Oldfield Spence-Neita, Nigel Paul
Ozyakup, Oguzhan
Ramsey, Aaron James
Randall, Mark
Rees, Joshua David
Roberts, Philip James
Shea, James
Smith, Steven Robert
Sunu, Gilles
Szczesny, Wojciech Tomasz
Traore, Armand
Vela Garrido, Carlos Alberto
Walcott, Theo James
Watt, Herschel Oulio Sanchez
Webb, Callum Taylor
Wilshere, Jack Andrew
Wynter, Jordan James Cecil
Yennaris, Nicholas

Well I think that’s 56 under 21 players, goodness me, I didn’t check on the rest, but I’m guessing we’ll probably have the biggest young squad in world football, and with the 17 year old Japanese kid coming and Wellington from Brazil, it’s set to get even bigger.

I would still try the Chezzer / Mannone combo instead of the Flappy duo, I really can’t see what we’d lose, I thought against Fulham last year Mannone had the game of the season for our keepers and Chezzer for Brentford looked a class act, in fact his first action for us against Legia was a double save that neither of our first choice boys could have got near, so all is not lost.

Perhaps we’ll have a new star coming from nowhere this season, perhaps we’ll have a youth team player come good, perhaps Wilshere and Chezzer or Mannone can join the long awaited rank of Ashley Cole. I say rank because he was the only one I can think of that came through the ranks apart from Wilshere, and talking of our little hero it seems to be apparent that he was indeed the peacemaker in his incident, I hope now he cuts out the late night clubbing though, he’ll always be a target.

Have a great day Grovers, at least the speculation will now stop until Christmas and by then we could be running away with it, because however much we haven’t done, the chavs and the mancs have not moved either, the spuds and shitty though hmmmm, we’ll find out soon enough, let’s just hope he doesn’t throw the Carling Cup against Tottenham though.

P.S. Now the transfer window is shut, there is no excuse not to sign up for our Metro Fantasy Football league. Follow the link below for more instructions!

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Posted by Geoff

Flabbergasted, but not in the least surprised, at least his bonus is safe.

September 1, 2010
Bargain Hunt - Starring Arsene Wenger

Even David Dickinson was shocked at the frugal one...

Before all the believers come on and start to bitch, read this, if after you have, you still think I’m being unfair, don’t bother to comment, read a blog that thinks what he’s done makes sense, you’ll be happier there, if of course you find one.

How can anybody be happy with our two keepers, even Wenger isn’t and he was the only person that could have made something happen, a good manager would have, but then Wenger isn’t, he’s a great coach, but managing isn’t his forte.

He knew in May that he wanted to get a new keeper, how do we know that? Peter Hill-Wood confirmed we had bid for Mark Schwarzer, Fulham wanted £4 million, we offered £2 million, why? Because our manager is very clever, Barca wanted Cesc for £29 million, we said you’ll need to pay £60 million. You can ask, but if what you offer is derisory then you’ll get nothing. Ask Barca!

So think about that then, we have a keeper crisis and our leader believes a keeper that is worth £58 million less (in his valuation not mine) than his captain, will do the job, hmmmm. Work that one out.

I have never been a big Schwarzer fan, but over the two we have, I would have him in a heartbeat.

So then we go back in August and bid the same paltry amount for him again, and guess what? Fulham said no, we want £4 million, if you can’t pay £4 million, then sod off, just like you told Barcelona. Fair enough in my book.

Then on the final day of the transfer window, Wenger goes back and says ‘okay, you win, here’s the £4million you wanted back in May.’ However by yesterday, their current keeper Stockdale (stand in) was injured, so Fulham said no, that’s not the fault of Mark Hughes, why would he sell Schwarzer when his other keeper is injured?

No that’s the fault of no one else other than Arsene Wenger.

If we had paid what they asked for in May instead of playing childish games of ‘look how clever I am’ we would have had a decent keeper in for pre season and would have been away. Much the same is had we offered a sensible amount last August for Chamakh, we may have won the league. We didn’t and the striker problems of last season cost us dearly, so what did we learn from that? Nothing, that’s what.

And please don’t tell me he was free, by the time you add salary to signing on bonus there is little difference, there is no such thing as a free lunch, unless of course they are over 30.

Dreadful brinkmanship that failed dismally, so for all the people that said back in June, that I should wait until the end of the window as he knows best, get back under your rock people, because here we go again, only this time, we not only have two useless keepers that regularly commit howlers, we have two keepers that know the manager wanted them out for a 37 year old who could hold the fort until prodigy Chezzers comes of age.

Still another season where the transfer budget has been well and truly saved, many more players have left or been sold so the books have been balanced, the bonus is safe and we have another season of promise that could have been to look forward to.

Arsene, the only sane thing you can do now is to get Shay Given on loan, that business can still be done, or make Chezzer the new number 1, I would sooner watch him making mistakes than the other two jokers, I’ve seen enough of their howlers in pre season. Real Madrid took a chance on a young keeper years ago, he lifted the world cup in July.

I have many mates that are AKB’s, not one of them can understand this, some of them even rate our two keepers, but none of them can understand the manager letting them know that he thinks they are crap.

If we win the league this season I will be delighted, of course I will, I love my team, we ought to eventually, the amount of games this team has played together, but think how much easier it could have been if he had signed a world class keeper, think of the games Cech and Van der Sar have won for their teams, and the worst bit is, Wenger knows it.

And just to add salt to the wound, Harry gets Van Der Vaart, great, and for £2mill less than we spent on Koscielny.

Poor old Cesc, he must have known. Have a great day Grovers, how many times have we said groundhog day before eh?

Ground Hog Day

September 1st 2009

Last year I stayed up late with the Grovers to see if we were going to sign anyone… and we didn’t. This year, I don’t know whether I’ll bother. I still think Wenger is putting the season on the line with a bare bones squad again… I think he needs a defensive midfielder and a centre back… but if he has the confidence to roll with it, we’ll just have to bite our bottom lip and hope the performances continue as they have been.

August 31st 2009

Almunia: Having a shocking opener to the season. If he were a pupil at school and I was his headmaster, I’d be on my second parent meeting of the term. I think it’s gone beyond the last chance saloon and he should be dropped. 4

September 1st 2008

I feel very let down by Arsene because once again I was lured in by his lies. That is why I have created a new term…

A Wengerism: A Wengerism is a type of deception in the form of an untruthful statement, especially with the intention to deceive others.

Do you feel deceived? Wenger has lured us in all summer with the promise of signings, the promise of players staying and the promise of being satisfied as fans. He only said this a couple of days ago,

“We are ready to stay up all night if it is needed,”

“This season it is at midnight on September 1 so you never know. We have still a long time to go.

It doesn’t matter though, because you’ve made you bed… now you must lie in it.

You will have no excuses come the end of this season because,

  1. You had the money, despite trying your best to deny it.
  2. You knew about the crocks (RvP, Denilson, Theo, Eduardo, Diaby, Song, JD…etc).
  3. You’ve had time .
  4. You knew the players were young .
  5. You publicly stated you needed experience.

September 27th 2007

I was a big advocate of signing two wingers and a centre back pre-season, still am a bit, but I tried thinking who I would buy come January? Apart from Goofy, there really isn’t anyone and we have £70mil to spend.

Being an Arsenal fan can sometimes be a bummer.

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Posted by Geoff

A new keeper is a must today Arsene, for so many reasons it’s a must.

August 31, 2010

Barcelona unsettled Cesc so badly this summer that the player himself was in two minds, the reason he’ll be back to his best is because both Barca and Arsenal wanted him, so in effect he had two birds fighting over him, only our bird had him tied down to a 5 year contract, so the old slapper from Spain lost out.

All the pundits were giving their reasons as to why he should go or stay but all agreed he was up there with the worlds best, giving the assist in the world cup final merely put the Cherry on the cake.

Now let’s move on to our two keepers, Almunia and Fabianski, they have been bandied about by the press all summer as hapless and guilty of costing us points in many games, we have made 2 bids for Fulham’s keeper and had them rejected, Wenger said in pre season, he didn’t know who his number one was and admitted he was after another keeper, all this will tell even the most stupid of people they are not considered good enough for this team and one would suspect the captain has given his opinion and that Almunia knows it as well.

So what we have achieved is to unsettle three keepers, two of ours and Fulham’s, he can’t now go back to them and have any kind of relationship with their fans, Almunia will always know he wasn’t wanted and isn’t rated, so for many, many reasons we have to get a new keeper today. Giving him the armband doesn’t made it or him better.

What we have done is not professional and that’s not Arsenal, yes we may get a cheap keeper with these tactics but if we don’t, we’ll screw up two careers and for me that’s as bad as Barca and their tactics.

Come on Arsenal, we are better than that, do the right thing and spend that extra £500k, he could win us the EPL and the ECL, maybe even the FA Cup and the Carling, don’t lose out again.

One last thing, let’s put out a proper team against the spuds, I would hate to lose out to them again in this cup, it means a lot to us fans to win a trophy, it means every bit as much to us to beat the scum.

WE NEED TO PUT OUT A DECENT TEAM, THEY DON’T CARE WHAT THE AVERAGE AGE IS OF OUR TEAM, AND NOR DO WE.

Have a great day grovers, we are half a million quid away from having a great team, now we signed Squillaci I am happier at the back, we aren’t far off, getting cover up front would be good, getting cover at DM would be better, but getting a new keeper now, is an absolute must.

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Posted by Geoff

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