Arsenal Transfer Rumours And General Chat

yahoo_moe

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Diarra is a fool - and that isn't being unfair. He's 22 years old, has done shag all in his career ... his place in the French team

Yes it's extremely impatient but I think this weird combination is the main problem here - clubwise, he's done "shag all" but he wants to keep his place in a team with a serious chance of international silverware.

Just so we're clear, I don't think he's right to leave and I'd rather he stayed (and I argued this back on page 103 of this thread) because he'd certainly have been given chances - chances that he's well capable of taking - at Arsenal in future but he's been unlucky in that this isn't the situation he signed up for (in his head anyway) when he came in the summer... who knows, if it wasn't a season leading into an international tournament, he might have stayed?

Galvasean

Glad Diarra is gone. Nothing but trouble. Left Chelski to join Arsenal hoping for an easy ride. Didn't do his homework. The plan backfired when he realised "Holy crap, Arsenal's squad is a s good as Chelsea's!" Apparently Newcastle turned down the opportunity to sign him because he wanted £90,000 a week. Says it all really (if its true).

On a related note there are a lot of ex-guners playing in the Premiership now, enough to make a formidable team.

Goalkeepers
Richard wright (West Ham)

Defenders
Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
Sol Campbell (Portsmouth)
Lauren (Portsmouth)
Matthew Upson (west Ham)

Midfielders
Sebastian Larsson (Birmingham)
Fabrice Muamba (Birmingham)
David Bentley (Blackburn)
Steve Sidwell (Chelsea)
Jermainne Pennant (Liverpool)
Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth)
Jamie O' Hara (Tottenham)
Freddie Ljungberg (West Ham)

Forwards
Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
Jeremie Aliadiere (Middlesboro)
Nwanku Kanu (Portsmouth)
Andrew Cole (Sunderland)
Anthony Stokes (Sunderland)
Luis Boa Morte (West Ham)

Thats quite a few. Anyone I missed?

Raskolnikov

Galvasean wrote: »

Henrik Larsson (Birmingham)

Surely you mean Sebastian

Ditching Diarra was a great idea. He's only put pen to ink, but yet he's already come out with these comments . . .

"The people at Portsmouth know I will not spend my life at this club.
If I shine, if a really big club wants me, I know already that everything will go well."

If you ask me, that's another fantastic bit of business that Wenger has done.

leninbenjamin

yeesh... my opinion of Diarra has really fallen of late, but now it's just vanished. he wont last long at the premiership level if he has a head that big on him. he'll wind up at a small to medium French club eventually where his place will be guaranteed and he'll never do anything of note. who's Wenger got lined up to replace him though? he'll have to get someone else in by the summer.

Raskolnikov

Moritz Volz
James Harper

ErinGoBrath

Raskolnikov wrote: »

Surely you mean Sebastian
"The people at Portsmouth know I will not spend my life at this club.
If I shine, if a really big club wants me, I know already that everything will go well."

What a spazmo.

Times Online couldn't have put it any better:
"Is he the first person to use his opening press conference to put in a transfer request?"

Pepe LeFrits

ErinGoBrath wrote: »

Times Online couldn't have put it any better:
"Is he the first person to use his opening press conference to put in a transfer request?"

Love it.

Pepe LeFrits

http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=486499&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Exclusive:+Barazite+reflects+on+injury+agony

Nice article/interview on Barazite. I've high hopes for him making it into the first team.

Mossy Monk

Good riddance. Arsenal do not need people like him in the ranks.

herbieflowers

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Yep, he was at the club for approximately four and a half months.

what a twat to be fair!

OPENROAD

Galvasean wrote: »

Glad Diarra is gone. Nothing but trouble. Left Chelski to join Arsenal hoping for an easy ride. Didn't do his homework. The plan backfired when he realised "Holy crap, Arsenal's squad is a s good as Chelsea's!" Apparently Newcastle turned down the opportunity to sign him because he wanted £90,000 a week. Says it all really (if its true).

On a related note there are a lot of ex-guners playing in the Premiership now, enough to make a formidable team.

Goalkeepers
Richard wright (West Ham)

Defenders
Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
Sol Campbell (Portsmouth)
Lauren (Portsmouth)
Matthew Upson (west Ham)

Midfielders
Henrik Larsson (Birmingham)
Fabrice Muamba (Birmingham)
David Bentley (Blackburn)
Steve Sidwell (Chelsea)
Jermainne Pennant (Liverpool)
Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth)
Jamie O' Hara (Tottenham)
Freddie Ljungberg (West Ham)

Forwards
Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
Jeremie Aliadiere (Middlesboro)
Nwanku Kanu (Portsmouth)
Andrew Cole (Sunderland)
Anthony Stokes (Sunderland)
Luis Boa Morte (West Ham)

Thats quite a few. Anyone I missed?

From a playing point of view only Bentley and Anelka I would miss.

Fratton Fred

Ignoring all his personality faults for the moment, is he any bloody good?

Royale with Cheese

Don't think Arsenal fans would be able to tell you. He didn't play all that often (in case he hadn't made that clear already. From what I saw of him I thought he was ok.

OPENROAD

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

Don't think Arsenal fans would be able to tell you. He didn't play all that often (in case he hadn't made that clear already. From what I saw of him I thought he was ok.

He did look quite good to be fair, that said does appear to have a big attitude problem.

cson

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Ignoring all his personality faults for the moment, is he any bloody good?

I thought he was good. Very small in stature but he's a dogged type of player. You know the ones. He's getting his game for France so he can't be all that bad.

Never one to rush into anything but AW would definitely want to spend a long night considering a decent CB to purchase. We look a bit shaky to say the least without Kolo. I would say we'll be ok the weekend that its only Fulham but then I remembered when we went to Craven Cottage last year... :eek:

leninbenjamin

cson wrote: »

Never one to rush into anything but AW would definitely want to spend a long night considering a decent CB to purchase. We look a bit shaky to say the least without Kolo. I would say we'll be ok the weekend that its only Fulham but then I remembered when we went to Craven Cottage last year... :eek:

that got me sort of thinkin', has AW ever made a short term buy like you suggested before? i can't think of one myself. sometimes i wonder if it's his apparent unwillingness to do so that's his main failing as a manager?

PHB

The problem for Arsenal is a short term buy can't possibly work. The defender has to be able to come in and play incredibly good passing football pretty much from the moment they step on the pitch. People don't notice it, but Arsenals attack is so good because of how their defenders play. You need players like Toure or Gallas. The only central defender in England who could instantly slot into the Arsenal side without at least a month of technical work is Ferdinand.

cson

Right so, better get on the blower to AW and tell him to sign Rio (or Anton, hmmm which one did PHB mean...;)) to solve that problem

Seriously though, good point PHB but the fact is that we kinda need someone. Its an impossible situation though, you need someone with experience and thats of a fairly decent level but you're gonna have to bench them when Toure comes back. Tricky.

Evil_Clown

yahoo_moe wrote: »

Hang on, I wanted Diarra to stay (cos I think he's class and Flamini's not going to stay fit/in this form forever) but that's completely unfair

I really don't think it's that unfair, he though he could walk into the arsenal team
and then suddenly realised he couldn't
His 1 track mind told him to leave Chelsea and join Arsenal because I suspect he thought it would be 'easier' to get football
IMO he thinks I deserve to be in the team cos I made the French team and if not i'm off, this has happened twice now so thats evidence enough for me to make these comments

L'prof

herbieflowers wrote: »

wait a a sec, was he just signed from Chelski in the summer?!

Yes, I think we made about £3m on him too

yahoo_moe

Raskolnikov wrote: »

Moritz Volz
James Harper

Richard Hughes (Portsmouth)
Stuart Taylor (Villa) - he was someone I was really sorry to see go...

PHB wrote:

The defender has to be able to come in and play incredibly good passing football pretty much from the moment they step on the pitch

Dead right - this is why Senderos (though I think he can do a decent job against a certain type of striker) is so out of place as cover... he plays in a completely different way to the rest of the squad and just lumps it so the possession game never gets going

As for the Diarra thing, I still think he's got great ability and would have loved him to stay - but let's just say that his initial comments as a Portsmouth player have, um, diluted my empathy somewhat...

Pepe LeFrits

Senderos is like Cygan - he'd be better suited the European game and would flourish in Italy or Spain. He reads the game brilliantly but the pace of the game in England exposes his weaknesses badly at times. He also improves vastly after a few games in the team, once he gets his rhythm going - but this isn't a very good attribute for a bench player.

gosplan

While we're talking about this type of defender allow me to add that I think Song will be great in the future.

I know he's not everyone's favourite but he's big, strong and good with the ball at his feet. if he learns how to defend welll, he'll be brilliant.

yahoo_moe

gosplan wrote: »

While we're talking about this type of defender allow me to add that I think Song will be great in the future.

I know he's not everyone's favourite but he's big, strong and good with the ball at his feet. if he learns how to defend welll, he'll be brilliant.

Yeah, I like Song... it's probably the time he's spent as a midfielder but he's got that Toure-esque ability to surge out of defence and pick a pass. Consistency might be an issue but I can certainly see why Wenger rates him

Pepe LeFrits

Song has been very impressive when he's played at centre-back, but he hasn't really had too many tests. He's also played some superb games in the holding midfield position, although he's had some shockers too (as you'd expect for someone his age). He may have a bit of the Paul McGrath about him; much better at the back with the game played in front of him, instead of in amongst the action in midfield. He reads the game well though, is strong as an ox and has great vision, plays it out of the back beautifully.

Galvasean

Raskolnikov wrote: »

Surely you mean Sebastian

LOL, just noticed that now.

gosplan

Squad is:

2 Abou DIABY
3 Bacary SAGNA
4 Cesc FABREGAS
9 EDUARDO
10 William GALLAS
13 Alexander HLEB
15 DENILSON
16 Mathieu FLAMINI
19 GILBERTO
21 Lukasz FABIANSKI (GK)
25 Emmanuel ADEBAYOR
26 Nicklas BENDTNER
30 Armand TRAORE
31 Justin HOYTE
32 Theo WALCOTT
40 Vito MANNONE (GK)

I'd like to see it kept it as young and as second string as possible.

Probably Gallas will start as the two Swiss boys are out.

something like:

FABIANSKI
SAGNA/GALLAS/HOYTE/TRAORE
WALCOTT/GILBERTO/DENILSON/DIABY
BENDTNER/EDUARDO

With Fabregas, Hleb, Ade and Flamini on the bench.

I don't think we should conceed now and start our big players in this cup. The Gallas thing is enforced. Denlison and Diaby haven't been doing as well in this competition as they had previously but this is the prefect chance to set it right. If they play with no fear, then they can produce an exciting performance that they can be proud of, regardless of the result.

If we go out, then we go out. it is Spurs against us though so even if they're all over us, they should find some way to mess it up.

Prediction: God knows? Spurs are strong enough to shut out that squad and are good enough to bag a goal or two. They do tend to mess it up against us though.

Pepe LeFrits

Walcott to partner Bendtner in attack I'd wager.

ErinGoBrath

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Walcott to partner Bendtner in attack I'd wager.

According to the Independant this is the case. Personally I'd prefere Eduardo to start with Walcott on the bench.

yahoo_moe

Theo was left out of the 16 completely at the weekend whereas Eduardo played a full game - I'd agree it'll most likely be Walcott/Bendtner

assuming he starts with something similar to the above, it's going to be one hell of a bench...

Royale with Cheese

Right, I've seen enough. Walcott's sh*te. Be gone with him

OPENROAD

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

Right, I've seen enough. Walcott's sh*te. Be gone with him

He will come good imo.

PHB

People are so harsh on young players these days. Everyone sees Ronaldo Fabregas and Rooney and thinks why can't everybody be like that? What they forget is that these guys are utter exceptions to the rules. Henry didn't really become top class until 24/25. Terry didn't really become top class until he was about 24/25. Walcott is still very young, and it's much much too early to write him off.

Royale with Cheese

Yeah but he's been sh*t in every game he's played this season bar the one Arsenal won 7-0. He's really shown nothing of note and is just living off his price tag at this stage imo. If he was just any other English youngster that came through the youth system then he wouldn't be getting so much game time.

OPENROAD

PHB wrote: »

People are so harsh on young players these days. Everyone sees Ronaldo Fabregas and Rooney and thinks why can't everybody be like that? What they forget is that these guys are utter exceptions to the rules. Henry didn't really become top class until 24/25. Terry didn't really become top class until he was about 24/25. Walcott is still very young, and it's much much too early to write him off.

Very true, a point also made by The Merse the other day, he will reach his potential with us.

WhiteWashMan

not too sure how you guys let O'Hara go. Not like Arsenal to give away talent like his.

Still, very gald of it, hes had his chances in the last month, and hes put in some brilliant performances. its almost as if he's been training at Ashburton!

gosplan

Taken from Football365 today:

" As he tried to explain how Arsenal came to be beaten 5-1 by, of all teams, Tottenham, Arsene Wenger blamed "naivety". He was speaking of his young team but it was a charge that could just as easily be levelled against the Frenchman.

It is difficult to criticise Wenger for sticking to his principles and word, especially when the young team endorsed was the young team which secured the club's semi-final berth, but his pledge of loyalty smacks of naivety in the aftermath of their White Hart Lane mauling.

Asked last night if the Carling Cup was a priority, a sullen Wenger retorted: "Not at all frankly." But can he afford to be so flippant with the potential of silverware given that it is almost three years since Arsenal last won anything of note? Given the difficulties that still await in the Premiership, FA Cup and Champions League, the Carling Cup represented Arsenal's best hope of a trophy this season. It is a disconcerting thought for the newly-humiliated half of north London that Spurs are the more likely club to collect silverware this term.

This isn't to speak with the benefit of hindsight either. At the time of the semi-final draw, this website described Arsenal's B team as the weakest remaining in the competition and tagged Tottenham as clear favourites to proceed. Anyone who witnessed the first leg would also have acknowledged Spurs' superiority. But not Wenger.

Stubborn to a fault, he promised to retain the same team and did so with predictable dire consequences. William Gallas and Bacary Sagna were the only first-team additions but, shorn of alternatives, it was a matter of necessity. The impression conveyed by Wenger was that, were he able to do so, he would have again selected Johan Djourou and Philippe Senderos to obstruct Dimi Berbatov and Robbie Keane. So if you thought 5-1 was bad...

Naivety, overconfidence, call it what you want, but Wenger's refusal to countenance selecting first-team regulars was an error that Arsenal fans may struggle to forgive as they encounter a few of their north London neighbours over the forthcoming weeks. Tottenham are a far better side than their league position suggests and selecting a B team for the trip to White Hart Lane constituted reckless folly.

And it wasn't even a first-choice B-team. Nicklas Bendtner aside, Lassana Diarra, Alex Song and Eduardo were the stand-out players in earlier Carling Cup ties. Against Spurs they were replaced, in turn, by the greatest myth in world football, a second-choice right-back at centre-half, and a little boy lost. Did Wenger genuinely believe this side would succeed?

His myopia was staggering in another respect. While only Sagna emerged with a vestige of credit from the debacle, nobody came close to matching the incompetence of Gilberto Silva. While Wenger remains perplexingly blind to the wretchedness of the 'Invisible Wall', seasoned Gilberto-watchers would have spotted the way he expertly tip-toed out of Jermaine Jenas' way in the opening minute, gave up on the fourth goal, and then ducked out of challenging Jenas in the build-up to the fifth.

"We were open to counterattacking and we were not mature enough to stop the counterattacking," Wenger rued afterwards, apparently oblivious to the shortcoming of the maturest player in the team and the way in which he betrayed his youthful team-mates.

It's not a coincidence that Gilberto is the only Arsenal player to have started each of the club's three defeats this season. If they don't want to suffer any repeat humiliations, Arsenal supporters should consider a whip-round to buy out the Brazilian's contract.

Pete Gill"


Is this just lazy journalism or does he actually not get it? Arsenal's B team play in the Carling Cup - no matter who the opposition. See final last year against Chelsea! Spurs played well, were stronger in both legs and deserved to go through.

Though it's a possibility, we don't actually expect to win the cup with this squad. Reaching the final last year was as much down to the failure of Liverpool and Spurs to knock us out as it was the success of the Arsenal team.

if we come up against a fairly organised experienced and talented team we expect to struggle....lots! Christ, realistically any of the top half of the premiership should be able to take us on in this competition and we should lose to a good few of them.

But Arsenal and its fans have always known this and it doesn't make a difference.

No doubt if we checked the background of this bulls*it peddelar he'd have a few articles about how great the Arsenal kids are and what a triumph it is for youth - but then Wenger's at fault for sticking with them in the tough games?

PHB

Look lads, in all fairness, there were some non B team players. Hleb, Gallas, Sagna are not B team players.

I think the difference for Arsenal last night was as clear as day imo, it was the lack of Toure. He is so underrated its unreal, and without him, I think Arsenals defence is nowhere near the same quality.

Mr Alan

Didnt Wenger bring on Fabregas on soon after the first goal as well?

gosplan

Yeah but I think it was Hoyte and Gilberto that cost us most of the goals. Regardless I feel that the younger Arsenal team is a litmus test for others. A really top side should be able to beat them and if you can't then you've no business being in a cup final.

Anyway, I'm not bitching about the result and I'm not even saying that with a first team Arsenal would have won last night.

Spurs were really good last night and I'm very relieved that we've already played them twice in the league. I fully expect them to pick up points off either Man U and Chelsea and that could prove crucial to our season so I'm even rooting for them.

My complaint is about the article basically saying Wenger was blindly shortsighted by fielding a (largely) B team when he's always done so and to change would basically be akin to saying to those youth players:

'for the first time in years I don't think you're good enough'

He could have picked so many things to write about based on that match last night.

Spurs defence being amazing with King back in it...That the decision to sack Jol is now justified...That Spurs are looking really good and are going to be a major force under this manager, it won't be another 9 year wait...That Arsenal's youth team isn't what it was last year...How this shows the need to buy players as they'll take a while to settle in...That Arsenal getting to the final last year was down to the ineptitude of Liverpool and Spurs.

Instead he wrote an article saying 'it was arragont and niave of Wenger to field a weakened team'. It's like the dumbass sky reporters asking him 'are you going to stick with this team for the next round?' anytime they progress in the competition.

Just plain lazy uninsightful journalism.

Galvasean

Mr Alan wrote: »

Didnt Wenger bring on Fabregas on soon after the first goal as well?

Yeah, Denilsen went off injured.

I saw a Spurs win coming but wasn't expecting such a drubbing.
Falling two down before half time meant Arsenal had to throw all caution to the wind and go all out attack, of course Spurs having the quality attacking players they have made easy work of our stretched makeshift defense.
By the time Adebayor and Eduardo came on it was well too late. Wallcott and Bendtner as a strike force was terribly lacking too.

edit: Just read that article. wow the guy is a fool, saying how Arsenal squandered their best shot at silverware this season. Since when was the Carling Cup considered alegitimate piece of silverware? Surely any competition where Man United get beaten by Coventry but don't seem to mind is clearly not held in high regard by the big teams.

cson

Just a reflection on yesterdays match, in particular Willy Gallas. He is quickly on the track to becoming an Arsenal legend. He's been immense this year in defence. It came to mind that when he was sorting out the Bendtner-Adebayor row that not in a million years would you have seen Henry do something similar. He's been a revelation as captain. Inspired decision by Wenger. Also, from what I could see on the tv, he was the only one of the Arsenal players to go over the supporters.

It annoyed me to see Hoyte and Diaby I think, slumped on the ground as if they'd just been beaten by a 90th minute last gasp winner. They'd been hammered 5-1 and if it was me I'd want to leave that pitch as soon as I could. Thank the supporters and get out of there.

Mr Alan

Galvasean wrote: »

Yeah, Denilsen went off injured.

I didnt see the game last night, was watching 405 for parts of it though, and at that point the commentator said that Denilson got a knock, but played on for a few minutes and seemed to be grand signalling to the bench he was alright, then Wenger signalled he was coming off, he just sat on the floor-despite appearing to have shaken off the knock.

Not denying he was injured, just saying what was said on SSN. Maybe Wenger just wanted to make the change after going 1 down but didnt want to appear to be abandoning his loyalty to the young-uns.

Pepe LeFrits

PHB wrote: »

Look lads, in all fairness, there were some non B team players. Hleb, Gallas, Sagna are not B team players.

I think the difference for Arsenal last night was as clear as day imo, it was the lack of Toure. He is so underrated its unreal, and without him, I think Arsenals defence is nowhere near the same quality.

The lack of Flamini made a big difference too; there's no way he would have allowed Jenas to shoot so easily like Gilberto did last night. Gilberto should no longer even be second choice DM at the club, his disinterest has been plain to see all season.

However, Walcott should go? :rolleyes: ffs.

The lad is 18. He is a striker, quite similar in style to Michael Owen. Do you imagine Owen playing well at 18 on the right wing? Furthermore, Walcott started playing football at a very later age, and as such his development will be later than most. He has played 2 games in his position this season, one good, one bad. Yet, because he couldn't do anything against a Spurs defence playing superbly, with virtually no supply (and he will always be a striker who depends on supply), he's ****.

Fortunately Wenger is the manager and looks at things objectively instead of venting his anger at easy targets when things don't go well.

Incidently, I've really warmed to Gallas this season, but he was ****ing woeful last night - I've never seen him play so badly for any team. Three times he got roasted by the Spurs strikers despite being first to the ball. I cannot fault his attitude though.

jank

Incidently, I've really warmed to Gallas this season, but he was ****ing woeful last night - I've never seen him play so badly for any team. Three times he got roasted by the Spurs strikers despite being first to the ball. I cannot fault his attitude though.

Yea he didnt have his best game but having hoyte beside him definately factored into his bad display.

arbeitsscheuer

Look lads, let's not overanalyse the f**king performance alright?
We had a bad game. Deal with it, get over it, look to the Geordies at the weekend and put it behind us. We were bound to lose to that lot at some point and, like others have said, we would have preferred it to happen in the least important competition.

In the grander scheme of things last night's game doesn't matter a jot. Yes, it hurts, deeply - but that'll pass. Next season we'll be in the Champion's League for the 11th season running - would you really swap that for being Carling Cup champions?

I wouldn't read too much into anyone's performance last night tbh.

"Ooh to,
Ooh to be,
Ooh to be a
GOONER!"

OPENROAD

arbeitsscheuer wrote: »

Look lads, let's not overanalyse the f**king performance alright?
We had a bad game. Deal with it, get over it, look to the Geordies at the weekend and put it behind us. We were bound to lose to that lot at some point and, like others have said, we would have preferred it to happen in the least important competition.

In the grander scheme of things last night's game doesn't matter a jot. Yes, it hurts, deeply - but that'll pass. Next season we'll be in the Champion's League for the 11th season running - would you really swap that for being Carling Cup champions?

I wouldn't read too much into anyone's performance last night tbh.

"Ooh to,
Ooh to be,
Ooh to be a
GOONER!"

Too right, we are The Arsenal.

Pepe LeFrits

Who is over analysing?

Galvasean

I think its healthy to analyze each players' performance after each game.

Qs

Galvasean wrote: »

I think its healthy to analyze each players' performance after each game.

So do I. It gives you a clearer picture of how players are progressing, developing and Abou Diabys case regressing.