Arsenal FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 10/11

cson

Two songs for current players that I love;

NaNaNaNa Nasri
We've only got one Song

OPENROAD

The best thing Stan could do is to bring back David Dein in his old role asap imo.

cson

OPENROAD wrote: »

The best thing Stan could do is to bring back David Dein in his old role asap imo.

Is he not in bed with Usmanov?

OPENROAD

cson wrote: »

Is he not in bed with Usmanov?

Initially DD introduced Stan to Arsenal, supposedly they have stayed in contact.

DD had such a good relationship with Arsene, they worked perfectly together, just what we need imo.

Duckytech

Can someone show me the footage of Wenger 'refusing' to shake Kennys hand after the whistle? Dosn't look like that to me in any video i have watched..

tony1kenobi

tony1kenobi wrote: »

Get over yourself. We won't win anything this year or next year. Support your club or don't. Your manager is part of your club.

There's a real supporter.:pac:

AnCapaillMor

OPENROAD wrote: »

The best thing Stan could do is to bring back David Dein in his old role asap imo.

Supposedly Txiki Begiristain is getting that job.

Pepe LeFrits

That rolling points tally is very disappointing, the team has massively dropped the ball recently.

L'prof

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

That rolling points tally is very disappointing, the team has massively dropped the ball recently.

It's been a very long time since it's been at a level that I've been happy with really!

Dick Burns

lads im a harcore gunners fan since i can remember and this is by far been the most fustrating season ive ever witness as a arsenal fan and at times really tested my comittment

wigan,newcastle,spurs,liverpool al games which we were winning and ended up losing,losing to west brom at home thanks to manual almunia,drawing at home to blackburn,like seriously that is not a title winning team and if we did end up winning the league which i cant see it it will be the biggest slip up for man united in football history

the reason why i think it is so fustrating is because we beat chelsea and man city fantasically 3-0 and had really sum amazing performances in the league

i honestly think there is a league in arsenal but with players like denilson,bendnter,almunia we will not win a league,almunia has cos us more games in the last 5 years then anyone i can remember and as for bendnter the only reason i can see why wenger is playing him is to get his price tag up,if we got 10million for him i wud be delighted

what does anyone think we need to change?new players maybe but who there is no one out there really that could fit into the arsenal team i tink once vermalaen gets back we will be fine in defence,i would go out nand buy buffon,33 best GK years ahead of him huge experience and could really help szcesny in his development

p.s i would love to see scott park playing in midfield with whilsire and allow cesc roam free,scott parker has the heart and drive to win games a true competitor and has steel which only jack whilshire in the current arsenal team seems to have

Royale with Cheese

Dick Burns wrote: »

wigan draw,newcastle draw ,spurs,liverpool draw al games which we were winning and ended up losing

The team hasn't lost a league game since December. It's the stupid amount of draws that is the problem. Especially at home.

Dick Burns wrote: »

what does anyone think we need to change?new players maybe but who there is no one out there really that could fit into the arsenal team i tink once vermalaen gets back we will be fine in defence,i would go out nand buy buffon,33 best GK years ahead of him huge experience and could really help szcesny in his development

Buying individual players isn't going to solve much. Yeah there are a few improvements that could be made but that squad is good enough to have won the league this season. It's the overall mentality of failure that needs to be looked at. Unfortunately the buck stops with the manager on that one.

It's a tough situation, I can't see how getting rid of Wenger would do anythign but cause the club's position to slip. On the other hand I can't see how this constant failure to perform when it matters most is going to change with Wenger in charge. He keeps banging on about spirit, mental strength and belief every season, which is ironic because it is the exact thing this team is missing.

cson

We basically need a bit of ruthlessness to come from somewhere; would Mourinho's Chelsea have let Spurs or Newcastle come back from 2-0 and 4-0 down respectively? Or even given Liverpool a sniff after getting ahead?

Dick Burns

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Burns
wigan draw,newcastle draw ,spurs,liverpool draw al games which we were winning and ended up losing

The team hasn't lost a league game since December. It's the stupid amount of draws that is the problem. Especially at home.

sorry i meant to say losing points

but you are right 5-6 years without a trophy would any other manager get away with that?id nearly say that if fergie did go that long he would be sacked(most he went was 3 seaons without winning the league but picked up the FA Cup and Carling in the meantime) wenger has a invinceability about him at arsenal and maybe has a right after the way he has transformed the club,but in 30 years time people wont talk about the lovely style and the finances of the club they will look at the empty trophy cabinet,if arent careful we will become a selling club a club we grows players and sells them on

wenger actually admitted it in 08,which i was very angry about

http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/news/wenger-admits-arsenal-are-now-a-selling-club-18670340.html

i just dont know where we can go from here,wenger has to much faith in this team to change it drastically,as royal with cheese said there is no spirit, mental strength and belief,it needs change,ok you said buying players wont solve much,but i tink a player like scott parker (for example) instead of alex song would put the steel and mental strength into the team and shut out games hes a born leader,alex song imo is terrbile he has one or 2 good games but he has no postional sense hes meant to be a DM and ends up joining in attacks even when we are 1-0 up when he should be protecting his defence

Paleface

Unfair criticism of Alex Song imo. He's one of the most improved players under Wenger and has developed into a very consistent performer. The only true DM at the club.

peabutler

Paleface wrote: »

Unfair criticism of Alex Song imo. He's one of the most improved players under Wenger and has developed into a very consistent performer. The only true DM at the club.

Song has been quite good but no one seems to look at him after our disasters, would they happen with someone else in there, it's a huge position for us considering are tactics. Is Song the right man for a 50 game season?

Dick Burns

Originally Posted by Paleface
Unfair criticism of Alex Song imo. He's one of the most improved players under Wenger and has developed into a very consistent performer. The only true DM at the club.

peabutler wrote: »

Song has been quite good but no one seems to look at him after our disasters, would they happen with someone else in there, it's a huge position for us considering are tactics. Is Song the right man for a 50 game season?

exactly he maybe improved under wenger but is he good enough tho?in my eyes no,if you watch the game against united in old trafford he was out of his depth didnt know where to play just ran towards the ball players going by him with ease,yes he does play well at times but i dont think he is good enough,is he up there with petit,viera,even flamini was better in that positon,our other DM denilson was embarrassing at west brom and taken off at half time,i think we will be selling him on 6/7 million if we are lucky

L'prof

Dick Burns wrote: »

exactly he maybe improved under wenger but is he good enough tho?in my eyes no,if you watch the game against united in old trafford he was out of his depth didnt know where to play just ran towards the ball players going by him with ease,yes he does play well at times but i dont think he is good enough,is he up there with petit,viera,even flamini was better in that positon,our other DM denilson was embarrassing at west brom and taken off at half time,i think we will be selling him on 6/7 million if we are lucky

I think Song has been one of, if not our most consistent performers over the last 2 seasons! If we don't sign some good cover for him, we could be in trouble when he heads to the African Nations!

gscully

Paleface wrote: »

Unfair criticism of Alex Song imo. He's one of the most improved players under Wenger and has developed into a very consistent performer. The only true DM at the club.

I like Song as a player, but he's prone to giving away silly free-kicks like on Sunday. That said, we're poorer without him. Diaby looked good in that role too, but that was against a counter-attacking side.

Galvasean

Diaby wasn't really playing DM to my eyes.

NeoKubrick

Song was the best player on the pitch when he came on: his passes put Arsenal's attack in to gear and moving forward. It was in stark contrast to the silver-bullet passes Fabregas was consistently playing from the same position.

Fabregas needs to be benched or switch positions with Wilshere. It's inexplicable that Wenger continues to play and burden a young and eager natural attacker in center midfield and play a natural and one of the best central midfielders in the supporting striker / attacking midfielder role.

Walcott needs to switch with Nasri: it will encourage Walcott to cut-in and shoot and by definition discourage him from ever attempting to cross the ball, again, and it will keep Nasri out-wide more.

Dick Burns

gscully wrote: »

I like Song as a player, but he's prone to giving away silly free-kicks like on Sunday. That said, we're poorer without him. Diaby looked good in that role too, but that was against a counter-attacking side.

diaby is very good in that role very like viera,good tackler and great feet

gscully

Galvasean wrote: »

Diaby wasn't really playing DM to my eyes.

He didn't really have to as Liverpool weren't passing it around much in our half. He did seem to operate behind Fabregas and Wilshere more than normal though.

MaxPower89

Dick Burns wrote: »

diaby is very good in that role very like viera,good tackler and great feet

I thought Diaby was poor yet again at the weekend. Its the same thing from him every game: taking multiple touches for no reason, thus drawing players onto him, and while he is strong and is good at sheilding the ball sometimes, he slows everything up for me. His passing is slow and its usually the obvious pass.

There was one occasion at the weekend when a first time pass was clearly the right option, but as usual he took an unnessessary touch and the move broke down. The commentator even said it at the time, along the lines of, "Why didnt he just do that first time?".

I think his ponderous attitude in the middle really slows up Arsenal. We need someone with a bit more bite, more quickness to their play. One touch and move it on.

keano_afc

Diaby was ok for about 60 minutes, but as soon as our desperation became obvious he did his usual Bambi on ice impression. He's too inconsistent for this team. Hopefully he's part of the clearout in the summer, I've never really worked out what exactly it is he does. Whatever it is, he does it badly.

KaiserGunner

Is anyone else getting this strange feeling that perhaps Newcastle might get something out of tonights match? Wouldnt surprise me in the slightest based on the season so far if we were given another opportunity to get back in the race.

Paleface

KaiserGunner wrote: »

Is anyone else getting this strange feeling that perhaps Newcastle might get something out of tonights match? Wouldnt surprise me in the slightest based on the season so far if we were given another opportunity to get back in the race.

United's away form is the only thing that can stop them winning the league now. I just don't think they will let it slip from their grasp at this stage.

premierstone

KaiserGunner wrote: »

Is anyone else getting this strange feeling that perhaps Newcastle might get something out of tonights match? Wouldnt surprise me in the slightest based on the season so far if we were given another opportunity to get back in the race.

Was just thinking the same thing myself, but it was quickly followed by the realisation that even if they do, we will capitulate tommorrow night against the spuds and it will be all immaterial.

I actually feel for Wenger bigtime, he has brought unparrelled success to our club and I think he has now become a victim of he's own success, a get the feeling and I dont mean this as a dig that the vast majority of Arsenal fans on here are in the 18-25 age group and have no real memory of the pre Wenger days and to what a low ebb we had fallen.

He has also been incredibbly unlucky this year with Vermallen's injury being a massive blow, I am quite confident if Vidic had have missed the entire season we would be 6 points clear and not 6 behind. Cesc seems to be winding down for hes big move home, certainly subconciously at least and it now seems that the reason that Arsene didnt splash out on a keeper was that he knew what he had with Schezny - although someone like Shwarzer or Given would have a nice interim measure we can allow him that one error of judgement.

gscully

MaxPower89 wrote: »

I thought Diaby was poor yet again at the weekend. Its the same thing from him every game: taking multiple touches for no reason, thus drawing players onto him, and while he is strong and is good at sheilding the ball sometimes, he slows everything up for me. His passing is slow and its usually the obvious pass.

There was one occasion at the weekend when a first time pass was clearly the right option, but as usual he took an unnessessary touch and the move broke down. The commentator even said it at the time, along the lines of, "Why didnt he just do that first time?".

I think his ponderous attitude in the middle really slows up Arsenal. We need someone with a bit more bite, more quickness to their play. One touch and move it on.

You could say the same about Van Persie. He takes a lot of touches and as the central striker, is too often out on the wing turning the defender inside and out before winning a corner.

keano_afc wrote: »

Diaby was ok for about 60 minutes, but as soon as our desperation became obvious he did his usual Bambi on ice impression. He's too inconsistent for this team. Hopefully he's part of the clearout in the summer, I've never really worked out what exactly it is he does. Whatever it is, he does it badly.

Agreed. Diaby, Denilson, Vela and Almunia must be let go this summer.

premierstone

gscully wrote: »

Diaby, Denilson, Vela and Almunia must be let go this summer.

See when you put him in that list he looks like a world beater, he is the only one of that 4 would even think about keeping, really thought Vela was going to be a superstar :mad:

I would add Bendtner, Squillachi and Rosicky to that list aswell.

wandatowell

Fabregas wrote: »

"When I started we won the FA Cup and then we reached the final of the Champions League. We didn't win but you say, OK we lost to Barcelona, by one goal in the last minute. It's not a victory but still – it's the first time the club reached the final of the Champions League.
"From 2007 I started saying, 'we didn't win but we played very well.'
"But then you realise it doesn't work. This year, for example, when we were in four different competitions, you think to yourself, 'We could win it all!' But after missing that final point you have to make a decision: play to win, or to train players."

Very interesting interview with cesc there

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/8461319/Arsenal-captain-Cesc-Fabregas-Spanish-club-wouldnt-back-Arsene-Wenger-any-longer.html?

Fursttimer

KaiserGunner wrote: »

Is anyone else getting this strange feeling that perhaps Newcastle might get something out of tonights match? Wouldnt surprise me in the slightest based on the season so far if we were given another opportunity to get back in the race.

For me, no chance.

Newcastle are without Harper and Nolan, big loss for them.

United will score 3, at least.

sonic85

premierstone wrote: »

I actually feel for Wenger bigtime, he has brought unparrelled success to our club and I think he has now become a victim of he's own success, a get the feeling and I dont mean this as a dig that the vast majority of Arsenal fans on here are in the 18-25 age group and have no real memory of the pre Wenger days and to what a low ebb we had fallen.

right so two league titles an FA cup two league cups and a european cup winners cup is a low ebb? thats just in the ten years before wengers arrival. if thats a low ebb then i wish we were at a low ebb all the time. rioch managed to get bergkamp to the club so obviously we were a reasonably attractive proposition before arsene graced us with his presence.

good quotes by cesc aswell - its about time one of our players showed enough interest to voice their concerns. were rapidly turning into ajax mark 2

mike65

Fab not being too helpful

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/apr/19/arsenal-cesc-fabregas-arsene-wenger

"If you went to Spain and said to [Pep] Guardiola, [José] Mourinho or Unai Emery [the Valencia manager] that they would have three years without winning a trophy, it would be obvious they would not continue [at their clubs]," Fábregas said. "Here, it is different, the manager is intelligent and the club value different things: that the team is always in the Champions League, that we compete until the end, that we have young players, economic stability. For the board, this is important. But I imagine there will be a moment when you have to decide: do you win things or not?
/

"But from 2007 on, I started to say, 'We don't win but we play very well.' And after that, you realise that it doesn't work. You enjoy it, during a part of the season, like this year when we were in four different competitions and you say, 'Here, I have it all.' But then you cannot make the final step and it is here where a decision has to be made: to go out to win or to develop players."

flahavaj

He wants out obviously.

The gas thing is with Thiago looking very good, Barca may not be that pushed about splashing the cash on him anymore.

My controversial prediction du jour is that he will be off to Spain in the next year or two, but as a Madrid player.

Royale with Cheese

Arsenal are better off if Barca aren't interested. That might convince him to go to a different club who would be willing to pay a fair price as he doesn't their feckin DNA.

greendom

It'd be nice if Man City and Chelsea were interested too. Not that I want him to go there but just to bump up his price. Must say though, the way he's playing at the moment he's not worth even what Barca were prepared to pay for him last year.

amiable

greendom wrote: »

It'd be nice if Man City and Chelsea were interested too. Not that I want him to go there but just to bump up his price. Must say though, the way he's playing at the moment he's not worth even what Barca were prepared to pay for him last year.

Well maybe he's ruining any chance of that

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6884840,00.html

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has made it clear that if he leaves Emirates Stadium in the future it will not be for another English club.
The Spain midfielder, who arrived in North London from Barcelona in 2003, has previously admitted his ambition to one day return to Camp Nou to play for the senior team.
However, the 23-year-old insists he will not follow in the footsteps of fellow Spaniard Fernando Torres, who moved from Liverpool to Chelsea, and join another English team when the time comes for him to leave the Gunners.

He told Spanish magazin Don Balon: "If some day I leave Arsenal it will never be to sign for another English team."
Catalan giants Barca had a £35million bid for Fabregas turned down by Arsenal last summer and have made no secret of their desire to bring him back to the club.
But the Spaniard refuses to make any rash decisions over his future, insisting patience is key.

He added: "You have to have patience with things and wait for the right moment.
"The day that I leave Arsenal I will do it with my head, not just because.
"As well as that, who can be sure that you are going to play in a new team?"
Arsenal have not secured silverware in six years, but Fabregas insists he has plenty of time to win trophies, drawing on friend and Barcelona captain Carles Puyol as an example.
"If some day I leave Arsenal it will never be to sign for another English team. "

"Here I have the great fortune that at a personal level, despite not having won much, I'm doing very well," he said.
"I spoke with (Barcelona captain Carles) Puyol and he told me that at 26 he hadn't won anything. Puyol, who has won everything in the football world!
"Patience and hard work are the most important things in life."

Pepe LeFrits

I've seen a very different translation of the article above.

L'prof

For those that want Wenger gone, do you really expect to replace our greatest ever manager with someone who'll achieve greater things? I have my doubts!

amiable

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

I've seen a very different translation of the article above.

Do you have it? Wouldn't mind reading it. This sometimes happens i guess

SDTimeout

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

I've seen a very different translation of the article above.

me too, jamie dalton translated the pure spanish article today and it really seems like those links above have just copied and pasted the answered to different questions and put them into one story, shambles.

Cesc was asked how it was different to spain and he said in Spain the fans don't care about how you built things like Arsenal have had to do. If Pep , Jose etc didn't win in 3 years they would be gone. However in English things are different and he understands why Arsenal have had to rebuild.

Stupid journalism at it's f*cking finest.

everdead.ie

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

I've seen a very different translation of the article above.

Was it something like I hope to leave on a free transfer to Spurs or Manchester United because they are in my DNA?

sonic85

in fairness he hasnt done that much better than george graham trophy wise considering the players hes had at his disposal down through the years. his greatest achievement is probably that hes gotten us into the champions league every season since 98-99*.

*think thats right but im open to correction

L'prof

sonic85 wrote: »

in fairness he hasnt done that much better than george graham trophy wise considering the players hes had at his disposal down through the years. his greatest achievement is probably that hes gotten us into the champions league every season since 98-99*.

*think thats right but im open to correction

If you want to break it down, Wenger's trophy haul is more impressive, his win percentage is more impressive, his style of football is more impressive, his continual competitiveness is more impressive and the emirates is more impressive, but that's just me!

keano_afc

L'prof wrote: »

For those that want Wenger gone, do you really expect to replace our greatest ever manager with someone who'll achieve greater things? I have my doubts!

He'll never be as successful as James McEwen! Brig him back. Even if he's dead.

greendom

sonic85 wrote: »

in fairness he hasnt done that much better than george graham trophy wise considering the players hes had at his disposal down through the years. his greatest achievement is probably that hes gotten us into the champions league every season since 98-99*.

*think thats right but im open to correction

No disrespect to Graham but "players at his disposal" is hugely unfair on Wenger. Do you think that Graham would have unearthed the likes of Vieira, Fabregas, Henry, etc etc etc.

Its precisely the players at his disposal from where Wenger gets most of his credit.

sonic85

L'prof wrote: »

If you want to break it down, Wenger's trophy haul is more impressive, his win percentage is more impressive, his style of football is more impressive, his continual competitiveness is more impressive and the emirates is more impressive, but that's just me!

i know wenger has a few more trophies but its not that impressive! win percentage is good. our style a few years ago with the likes of freddie bobby and thierry was impressive but the current possession based football is cack. his competitiveness is outstanding and its why hes still in a job. arsene didnt build the emirates and wasnt behind it - that was mostly down to danny fiszman no?

i honestly think if we had a good man manager maybe along the lines of hiddink wed have the league wrapped up by now. our current squad isnt that bad - definitely good enough to win the league this year

mike65

Arsenals greatest period of success under Wenger married his flair with the honest hard work of the Graham era. George would never have put up with the defence of recent years.

tony1kenobi

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

I've seen a very different translation of the article above.

Was it this one?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/apr/19/arsenal-cesc-fabregas-arsene-wenger

the untitled user

Here's a stat that might interest people. When Arsenal have gone 2 years or more without winning a major trophy in their history, it takes on average 6.5 seasons to win one back (that doesn't include the first 40 or so seasons without a trophy btw, and takes WWII into consideration too).

This Arsenal team don't have a winning pedigree, the club do, but the team don't. That's the difficulty, you can see it in them, there's just no composure. And buying in big names in wont change that.

New manager or no, we're still gonna be 6 years without a trophy by the end of the season so it's not an easy task for anyone to just take over from him. Winning the first trophy is a really difficult prospect, but you generally find once one trophy is one, the players come become more confident within themselves and more trophies rapidly follow.

Remember too the recent studies that demonstrate stability breeds success. Get someone in, overhaul the squad and your back to square one. The current manager and squad still have have lots to build upon so I'd prefer us to keep it broadly the same (Rosicky and Denilson are the only ones I feel need an immediate upgrade). There just isn't as much difference as we think there is between a winning side and a runner up, it's all in the head, and you can't easily buy that factor.