Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Pepe LeFrits · 19-07-2008 10:29am

Rosicky out for the season opener. Shocker!

Galvasean · 19-07-2008 1:15pm

Would have liked to meet up with you guys at the Woolshed but alas cant make it. Maybe the next one..
Oh, Setanta Sports 2 are showing it... at 11 o' clock tonight.

Wenger fools me:
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=494040&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Two+Years+On:+Wenger+-+I+can+spend+more+due+to+Emirates

Pepe LeFrits · 19-07-2008 1:18pm

Vela replaced in the squad by other new boy Coquelin today apparently.

A shame as I was looking forward to seeing him in action, but there's plenty of interest still with the likes of Ramsey, Lansbury, Wilshere etc involved.

leninbenjamin · 19-07-2008 2:07pm

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Vela replaced in the squad by other new boy Coquelin today apparently.

wait.... why? is injured?

Pepe LeFrits · 19-07-2008 2:09pm

Hmm, no mention of Vela being absent on ATVO - so it might not be true. Fingers crossed.

leninbenjamin · 19-07-2008 2:22pm

just saw the interview with Vela there. d'ja know, for someone who'd been preparing to join Arsenal for the past three years it smacks me as really od he can't speak English. needed a translator...

Pepe LeFrits · 19-07-2008 2:43pm

Team:
1. Almunia
2. Clichy
3. Sagna
4. Denilson
5. Nordtveit
6. Hoyte
7. Traore
8. Ramsey
9. Walcott
10. Bendtner
11. Lansbury

Interesting.

Fuzzy_Dunlop · 19-07-2008 3:02pm

Clichy's captain!:pac:

No sign of Vela on the bench or anywhere from what i can see...

Galvasean · 19-07-2008 3:12pm

Strikes me a s unusual taht there are 5 defenders in the starting XI. Maybe Traore is playing on the wing?

Pepe LeFrits · 19-07-2008 3:14pm

Midfield four of Traore - Denilson - Ramsey - Lansbury.

Galvasean · 19-07-2008 3:16pm

Just looking at previous meetings. When we played Barnet in 2004 we beat them 10-1 with hat tricks from Jose Antonio Reyes and Francis Jeffers! :pac:

Pepe LeFrits · 19-07-2008 3:17pm

lol, 1-0 Barnet!

Almunia beaten from a free-kick, who would believe it :P

Galvasean · 19-07-2008 3:22pm

Looks like our season is starting the same way last season did. :pac:

Pepe LeFrits · 19-07-2008 3:36pm

Hate the new home kit, have to say... and the last one was so good.

Fuzzy_Dunlop · 19-07-2008 3:49pm

Ramsey looks to be a great talent, reminds me a bit of Joe Cole actually.

Roddy23 · 19-07-2008 4:20pm

Nice finish by Simpson. 1-1.

Pepe LeFrits · 19-07-2008 4:21pm

Joe Cole??

He looks class alright but reminds me of Fabregas and Beckham.

1-1, Simpson equalises with an assist from Wilshere. Wilshere looks quality.

Fuzzy_Dunlop · 19-07-2008 4:29pm

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Joe Cole??

He looks class alright but reminds me of Fabregas and Beckham.

1-1, Simpson equalises with an assist from Wilshere. Wilshere looks quality.

I dunno it was something in the way he was doing those turns and dribbling that made me think that, and yeah like Fabregas too.

Wilshere looks great, who needs Hleb!:P

Goal from Barazite! He's been impressive too

Pepe LeFrits · 19-07-2008 4:30pm

2-1, brilliant goal. Started by Wilshere, setup by Simpson and put away smartly by Barazite.

Roddy23 · 19-07-2008 4:30pm

2-1 nice finish by Barazite. Simpson with the assist.

Lads, who's the co-commentator on Arsenal TV, wrecking my head here?

DenMan · 19-07-2008 4:44pm

According to the Arsenal website his name is Trevor Harris.

Galvasean · 19-07-2008 5:12pm

Good to see the young fellas keeping their bottle and making a good come back.

Pepe LeFrits · 19-07-2008 6:37pm

Wenger said after the match today that he is in the market for new players.

leninbenjamin · 19-07-2008 6:40pm

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Wenger said after the match today that he is in the market for new players.

cryptic as ever.

will that supposed €100 million bid for Kaka lead to them getting what they want for Adebayor finally? I know they (Milan) have said they are no longer buying, but if Kaka leaves they are going to be short up front.

OPENROAD · 19-07-2008 6:50pm

DenMan wrote: »

According to the Arsenal website his name is Trevor Harris.

Nope the co-commentator was Martin Hays, ,main commentator was Trevor Harris.

OPENROAD · 19-07-2008 6:52pm

leninbenjamin wrote: »

cryptic as ever.

will that supposed €100 million bid for Kaka lead to them getting what they want for Adebayor finally? I know they (Milan) have said they are no longer buying, but if Kaka leaves they are going to be short up front.

Arsene gave the impression that Adebayor will stay with us.

keano_afc · 19-07-2008 7:06pm

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1766_3837584,00.html

Wow, there's something I didnt expect...:rolleyes:

Galvasean · 19-07-2008 7:16pm

I noticed we used 3 goalkeepers today. Did Manonne get injured?

DenMan · 19-07-2008 7:19pm

OPENROAD wrote: »

Nope the co-commentator was Martin Hays, ,main commentator was Trevor Harris.

Yep you are right there, I didn't read it properly, co-commenter. Ex Arsenal pro.

Pepe LeFrits · 20-07-2008 9:30am

On transfers, he said: "You can expect signings. We're on the market. If there's a good opportunity we'll take it."

On Hleb, Wenger said: "Comfortable [with it] no. He had an opportunity to leave. I would have loved him to stay. Players are in a strong position. But we planned to bring Nasri in for some time."

A Hleb replacement coming perhaps?

leninbenjamin · 20-07-2008 2:18pm

the truth as to why Hleb was signed has emerged.

from Skysports.com

Barcelona new boy Alexander Hleb is ready to incur the wrath of old club Arsenal by hinting Cesc Fabregas could join him at Camp Nou.

Hleb secured his move to Barcelona earlier this week after deciding to leave Arsenal for a new challenge.

The Belarus international says former Gunners team-mate Fabregas has told him a lot about Barca having come through the youth ranks at the Catalan outfit before making the move to Arsenal.

Hleb claims Fabregas is still a big fan of Barcelona and he believes there is a possibility the pair could be reunited at Camp Nou.
Information
"He [Fabregas] told me lots of things [about Barcelona], his time in the academy with players like Pique, Messi and so on," Hleb told Barcelona's official website.

"He loves this club, and though he's at Arsenal, who knows, maybe one day he'll come back here."

ok, i'm exaggerating but from reading this I've no doubt in my mind that at least part of the motivations for signing Hleb was his close relationship with Cesc. I think we'll begin to hear a lot more sh*t like this over the year.

PHB · 20-07-2008 2:28pm

Fabregas is always going to go to Barca, can't see him leaving while Wenger is around though.

leninbenjamin · 20-07-2008 2:30pm

PHB wrote: »

Fabregas is always going to go to Barca, can't see him leaving while Wenger is around though.

I dunno. if the Gunners don't improve on last season fairly lively i think Cesc might be willing to listen as early as next season. with each season without a trophy the sheen comes off Wenger a bit more.

Pepe LeFrits · 20-07-2008 5:33pm

From the Barca official website. Classy.

Galvasean · 20-07-2008 7:01pm

So, how many more times do we have to hear them try unsettle our star players before we can get the powers that be to STFU?

We should never have sold them Henry, they seem to think we're their bloody feeder club now

20-07-2008 7:47pm

Here's an post-match interview with the gaffer from yesterday. With thanks to arseblog and luther

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid958992159?bctid=1676208215

leninbenjamin · 20-07-2008 10:37pm

Papa Smut wrote: »

Here's an post-match interview with the gaffer from yesterday. With thanks to arseblog and luther

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid958992159?bctid=1676208215

did anyone notice the strange wry smile that came across his face when talking about Adebayor? I wonder what it signifies... it certainly came across as an 'i know more than you' smugness i felt.

21-07-2008 1:05am

Smug and Wenger in the same sentece? :eek: surely not! I wouldn't read too much into it. The whole interview seems very relaxed and lighthearted. No stress for him for 3 weeks at least!

Galvasean · 21-07-2008 1:11pm

Sky Sports News reporter: "Can we expect more signings?"
Wenger: "You can expect. If you like."

Classic.

leninbenjamin · 21-07-2008 1:21pm

Galvasean wrote: »

Sky Sports News reporter: "Can we expect more signings?"
Wenger: "You can expect. If you like."

Classic.

Wenger has the most under-rated sense of humour in football.

DenMan · 21-07-2008 2:41pm

Tottenham possibly making a move for Arshavin after they finalize selling the four players to Sunderland. Does anybody think Wenger will make a move for him now or is heading down the lane? I would rather him go to Arsenal but is Wenger looking for him?

leninbenjamin · 21-07-2008 2:48pm

DenMan wrote: »

is Wenger looking for him?

you're asking in the wrong place. in fact if you asked the man himself i doubt he'd tell you.

personally i don't think he's needed, although i think Pepe and others here disagree with me on this. I think Wenger will give Rosicky a final chance before getting in another attacking midfielder.

Mr Alan · 21-07-2008 2:48pm

i think the wages he would require would put him way out of Arsenals range, would they not?

leninbenjamin · 21-07-2008 2:53pm

Mr Alan wrote: »

i think the wages he would require would put him way out of Arsenals range, would they not?

perhaps, but i wouldn't say this is necessarily the case. Arshavin is hankering for a move to a big Champions League side, Barcelona have already said they can't/won't pay him what he's on at Zenit, yet he still wants to go there. he's already minted anyway, i wouldn't be surprised if it turns out he takes a pay cut should he decide to leave. I'd hazard that if the Gunners were the only champions league side in for him (as barca now looks extremely unlikely now they have Hleb), he'd take the pay cut ahead of going to the likes of Tottenham or Newscastle.

but i'm just speculating.

Pepe LeFrits · 21-07-2008 3:05pm

If Tottenham can afford to pay his wages, then so can Arsenal.

I think we might get away with not signing him, but we'd undoubtedly be a lot more likely to win trophies if we signed him. If Rosicky can't maintain his fitness again next season, there's a good chance we'll struggle as we'll be looking to Nasri and Walcott to replace Hleb's contribution to the team (well, probably replace it AND more, because we didn't actually win anything last season).

Thought right now if I could only have one player it'd be a big, powerful defensive player. The defensive spine of the team is the area that needs most work IMO.

AnCapaillMor · 21-07-2008 3:26pm

Ade turned up for training, nothing more.

Galvasean · 21-07-2008 6:42pm

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

If Tottenham can afford to pay his wages, then so should Arsenal.
.

Fixed that for ya. Except our board arent as liberal with the cash as the Spurs one.

Read in the paper today that Wenger wants Walcott to really challenge for a 1st team place this season.

Pepe LeFrits · 21-07-2008 8:15pm

Arsenal pay way more on wages than Spurs.

If Theo can perform for a whole season like he did in the run in last season, then we're laughing. Trouble is whenever he plays whoever plays on the left wing needs to be at their creative best because Theo won't create a great deal. Puts a lot of pressure on Rosicky/Nasri.

OPENROAD · 21-07-2008 8:19pm

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Arsenal pay way more on wages than Spurs.

If Theo can perform for a whole season like he did in the run in last season, then we're laughing. Trouble is whenever he plays whoever plays on the left wing needs to be at their creative best because Theo won't create a great deal. Puts a lot of pressure on Rosicky/Nasri.

Wonder if we will see much of Traore this season, looks like he will be playing left midfielder.

leninbenjamin · 21-07-2008 8:21pm

OPENROAD wrote: »

Wonder if we will see much of Traore this season, looks like he will be playing left midfielder.

was that not more a case of not having a full squad to select from?

Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

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