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

gosplan

keano_afc wrote: »

I want that too, doesnt mean it will happen though. Do you really think we're in a better position to challenge than we were 12 months ago?

It's all injury dependent.

We rarely keep clean sheets but we score lots. Our problem last season was that the latter dried up when certain players were missing. So forgetting about the back four, I think you could say that if Fabregas and RVP can be adequately replaced for the matches they will undoubtedly miss, then we are in a better position to challenge than last year.

Pepe LeFrits

keano_afc wrote: »

I want that too, doesnt mean it will happen though. Do you really think we're in a better position to challenge than we were 12 months ago?

Yeah, I do. Maybe only marginally but I do think we are... but then I didn't think we'd win the league last year and I still don't think we'll do it this year either.

Our GK and CB is a mess but that isn't new. Last year we lost Djourou to a season-ender before the league began and went into the campaign with Gallas, Vermaelen and Silvestre. This time we've got Vermaelen, Koscielny, Djourou and Nordtveit. Remains to be seen how Kos will do but I'd rather have Dj than Silvestre when the inevitable CB injury comes, and I like what I've seen of Nordtveit so far.

Chamakh I think will be a very useful addition up front and a big improvement over Eduardo. Having Arshavin as our central striker didn't help matters at all and this added insurance against that happening again. Otherwise it's as you were really, except perhaps Wilshere has replaced Ramsey, and they're at a similar level.

Wreck

Have we signed a fcuking keeper yet? And we definitely need one more established, quality center back imo. Seriously not looking forward to this season at the moment, probably for the first time since 1996.

Royale with Cheese

Mascherano's replacement for Liverpool has been signed before he's even left. Why the fúck can't Arsenal get their shít together when it comes to transfers.

If Cesc had gone this summer I seriously doubt any kind of replacement would have been brought in.

greendom

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

Mascherano's replacement for Liverpool has been signed before he's even left. Why the fúck can't Arsenal get their shít together when it comes to transfers.

If Cesc had gone this summer I seriously doubt any kind of replacement would have been brought in.

Kosicelny and Chamakh were both signed before their predecessors left

L'prof

Wreck wrote: »

Have we signed a fcuking keeper yet? And we definitely need one more established, quality center back imo. Seriously not looking forward to this season at the moment, probably for the first time since 1996.

Nope, not yet and at this rate, the best we can hope for is a stop gap to tie us over for a season or two.

Personally, I think we need a first choice goalie and defender and a backup defensive midfielder. If we switched back to 4-4-2, the latter isn't as important, but I seriously doubt that'll happen.

Royale with Cheese

3 centre backs went out, 1 came in. The season starts in 2 days and there are 3 recognised centre backs at the club.

L'prof

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

3 centre backs went out, 1 came in. The season starts in 2 days and there are 3 recognised centre backs at the club.

3 left, 1 came in, Djourou is back from a season long injury and Nordtveit has been promoted to the senior squad. We're not really any worse off. Having said that, with all our injuries last season it we could have done with an extra man.

FUNKY LOVER

it really is a joke,once again wenger has lied to the fans,how many seasons has he said trust him in the transfer market but failed to act on his words,did he not say we can now compete with chelsea etc in the market??

every season we let players leave and only replace them never adding to the squad.our defence is shocking going into the new season with 3 cbs,1 with 1 year experience in the EPL another who is injury prone with hardly any experience and 1 with no EPL experience and 1 year at top flight in france.

this should have been sorted weeks ago,but once again its gonna be a challenge for 3rd or 4th place,im not saying wenger out yet but i serioulsy am wondering what is going on in his head.everyone can see we need a new keeper but he is unwilling to spend a few quid,instead going for scwarzer for 2 million,i dont care if it would hamper sczeznys potential,im sick of waiting for players to come good,if he is good enough he will m ake it.

rant over,all one can do is hope.

Royale with Cheese

L'prof wrote: »

3 left, 1 came in, Djourou is back from a season long injury and Nordtveit has been promoted to the senior squad. We're not really any worse off. Having said that, with all our injuries last season it we could have done with an extra man.

I've no idea how you don't think Arsenal are worse off now. Djourou is back for now, it won't be long before he gets crocked again. Gallas has been swapped for a French second division defender. The only reason Nordtveit is an improvement on anything is because he's replacing Silvestre.

My original point was about the goalkeeping situation anyway. It should have been sorted months ago.

Pepe LeFrits

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

I've no idea how you don't think Arsenal are worse off now. Djourou is back for now, it won't be long before he gets crocked again. Gallas has been swapped for a French second division defender. The only reason Nordtveit is an improvement on anything is because he's replacing Silvestre.

Do you have the lotto numbers too? Djourou has replaced Silvestre in the squad, Koscielny by all accounts had an excellent season in the French top flight and Nordtveit has replaced Campbell, who wasn't even in the squad this time last season. If you're going to moan, at least balance it with facts instead of inaccurate hyperbole.

Royale with Cheese

Fine, convince yourself that's a defence good enough for a club who should be challenging for the title if you want. I won't be.

TheSpecialOne

Another Failure this year and Arsene has serious questions to answer as we have been shouting for a keeper for three years now!Just wait until one of the three amigo's in goals cost us a win, it will show Wenger up for his idiotic stance on the goalkeeping situation at the club!

Pepe LeFrits

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

Fine, convince yourself that's a defence good enough for a club who should be challenging for the title if you want. I won't be.

I think you'll find I've already implied that it won't be about 10 posts up.

However we aren't worse off than last season.

Royale with Cheese

I don't see how losing an experienced and proven Premiership defender like Gallas (albeit a nutjob) and replacing him with someone who apparently played well in French first division for one season isn't a backwards step.

L'prof

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

I think you'll find I've already implied that it won't be about 10 posts up.

However we aren't worse off than last season.

This is what I was saying too.

Pepe LeFrits

The Premiership isn't the be all and end all. People were saying the exact same thing about replacing Toure with Vermaelen.

Gallas being a nutjob could prove to be a rather large albeit (our two best league campaigns in recent years came after letting disruptive influences go) and Gallas tended miss a couple of months of every season. 21 league apps 06/07, 31 in 07/08, 23 in 08/09, 26 in 09/10. He was hardly flawless when he did play. Koscielny is at an age where players tend to step up their games pretty significantly so who knows.

Pepe LeFrits

Arsenal have updated the squad photos for the coming season. No sign of the new youngsters being added to the roster, though.

http://www.arsenal.com/first-team/players

Pepe LeFrits

I think the regular photographer must have had the day off. The state of some of them.

gibson

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

3 centre backs went out, 1 came in. The season starts in 2 days and there are 3 recognised centre backs at the club.

Goal keeping decision aside this is what annoys me the most. Fair enough he might since someone before the windwo closes but why does it have to be so late? No pre season with the club isnt a great preperation. In my opinion there is no excuse to start a season with 3 senior centre backs.

On the goalkeeping situation, judging whats going on at City Id be pretty dissapointed if we didnt try for one of them. Harts just become England number 1 and Given says he wont stay if hes not number 1 so I cant see them keep both. Id be even more dissapointed if we just took the cheap option and got Shwarzer if Given or Hart was available and wanted a move.

Paleface

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

I think the regular photographer must have had the day off. The state of some of them.

Look's like Andrey will have to start shaving this season!

Pepe LeFrits

Paleface wrote: »

Look's like Andrey will have to start shaving this season!

I see what he's doing.



Awesome.

_Bella_

BBCs Phil McNulty on our chances this season:

ARSENAL

After five years without a trophy, it is time for Arsene Wenger to stop trading on "jam tomorrow" promises and deliver the trophies this proud club requires. For those who believe I have some sort of downer on Wenger, it would be a delight to see his unshakeable principles on how football should be played receive tangible reward.

Arsenal were never more than on the margins of the title race last season, while Wenger's pretensions on the beautiful game were stripped bare by Barcelona in the Champions League.

The decision of Cesc Fabregas to ignore the advances of Barcelona and pledge his immediate future to Arsenal is a huge morale-booster, while Wenger has addressed obvious weaknesses in central defence by signing Lorient's Laurent Koscielny.

Wenger is actively seeking another defender, while the glaring faults of Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski will surely lead to a new goalkeeper arriving before the transfer window closes. If this does not happen, then Arsenal will not challenge for the title.

Wenger will have high hopes for new England recruit Jack Wilshere, while the hugely promising Kieran Gibbs will pressurise Gael Clichy - no bad thing on last season's evidence.

Arsenal have never been short of attacking options but the arrival of Marouane Chamakh from Bordeaux will give them an extra dimension alongside fit-again Robin van Persie, Andrey Arshavin and the improving Nicklas Bendtner.

As ever, hopes are high at The Emirates. I expect Arsenal to be exciting, vulnerable and a delight for the purist - but more likely to enjoy success in the cups rather than the Premier League.

VERDICT: Threat in cup competitions if Wenger takes them seriously but face fight for top-four place.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2010/08/how_will_the_premier_league_pa.html

gosplan

FUNKY LOVER wrote: »

it really is a joke,once again wenger has lied to the fans,how many seasons has he said trust him in the transfer market but failed to act on his words,did he not say we can now compete with chelsea etc in the market??

What words? How exactly is saying 'trust me' lying?

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

Gallas being a nutjob could prove to be a rather large albeit (our two best league campaigns in recent years came after letting disruptive influences go) and Gallas tended miss a couple of months of every season. 21 league apps 06/07, 31 in 07/08, 23 in 08/09, 26 in 09/10. He was hardly flawless when he did play. Koscielny is at an age where players tend to step up their games pretty significantly so who knows.

Exactly. Gallas wasn't particularly motivated, didn't get on with the team and made quite a few mistakes.

I'm not saying the defence is suddenly much stronger but I don't think it will make too much of a difference.

peabutler

With this Assistant Manager how can anyone be pessimistic.

yahoo_moe

L'prof wrote: »

3 left, 1 came in, Djourou is back from a season long injury and Nordtveit has been promoted to the senior squad. We're not really any worse off. Having said that, with all our injuries last season it we could have done with an extra man.

Exactly - and I don't see this having changed just because Nordveit has been promoted. With Silvestre (who I think copped some unfair abuse at times) and Gallas gone, there's definitely a big experience gap there.

Vermaelen isn't at the level I'd expect of a top 3 club's senior CB and I think it'll cost us. Even if Koscielny turns out to be savage, we seem to be asking a lot of the injury situation. I'm not asking the world and I'm not asking for a title challenge - just one more, (at least semi-) experienced CB.

SDTimeout

I'm only staying positive because i think we can get to Jan with the keepers we have because then Akinfeev will be able to come on a free.

gosplan

Liverpool have agreed a fee of around 2.5million with Boro for keeper Brad Jones.

You.... don't .... think ....

Frisbee

FUNKY LOVER wrote: »

it really is a joke,once again wenger has lied to the fans,how many seasons has he said trust him in the transfer market but failed to act on his words,did he not say we can now compete with chelsea etc in the market??

What has he lied about? He never said he was going to go spend loads of money so I'm not too sure what your talking about...

Pepe LeFrits

gosplan wrote: »

Liverpool have agreed a fee of around 2.5million with Boro for keeper Brad Jones.

You.... don't .... think ....

... and so have we, if you believe the Metro.

Which I don't.

Quazzie

SDTimeout wrote: »

I'm only staying positive because i think we can get to Jan with the keepers we have because then Akinfeev will be able to come on a free.

Akinfeev is almost guaranteed to join United in January.

gosplan

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

... and so have we, if you believe the Metro.

Which I don't.

Yeah, it looks like they actually have for real

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6308321,00.html

Pepe LeFrits

I meant I don't believe we've had a bid for him accepted.

Quazzie

Quazzie wrote: »

Akinfeev is almost guaranteed to join United in January.

Really? Can Andrey not pick up the phone and have a chat?

\adopts russian accent, "Yesh, he haz the arsenal DNA..."

Pepe LeFrits

Papa Smut wrote: »

Really? Can Andrey not pick up the phone and have a chat?

\adopts russian accent, "Yesh, he haz the arsenal DNA..."

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/146066/Igor-Akinfeev-wants-to-team-up-with-Andrey-Arshavin-at-Arsenal/

Frisbee

If we do sign him and he's as good for us as he always is for me in FM I'll be mighty happy.

Example:

Pepe LeFrits

Clearly haven't fixed the defence then Frisbee...

SDTimeout

Quazzie wrote: »

Akinfeev is almost guaranteed to join United in January.

How ?

I remember seeing interview recently stating he would love to play for Arsenal since it's all Arshavin has been talking about etc etc

SDTimeout

Also...I don't want to get to excited over the Jones to pool thing and what it could mean for Pepe. OptaJoe right on Q there.

71.6% -Brad Jones managed to save 71.6% of shots faced in the Championship for Boro in 09/10. 7th best in the league

Quazzie

SDTimeout wrote: »

How ?

I remember seeing interview recently stating he would love to play for Arsenal since it's all Arshavin has been talking about etc etc

Every interview I've read was always based on United scouting him, so maybe thats where I got that impression. I think with United being in the market for him it rules Arsenal out as we've seldom been able to match United financially and even though we're told the money's there, I still await confirmation of this.

Max Power1

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Arsenal have updated the squad photos for the coming season. No sign of the new youngsters being added to the roster, though.

http://www.arsenal.com/first-team/players

Even just looking at the volume (or lack thereof) of names in the list gives an idea of the lack of depth that we will experience during the season. Especially in defense.

SDTimeout

We have 3 left backs....

Could Wenger convert one of Clichy/Gibbs to a CB or am i dreaming

Frisbee

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Clearly haven't fixed the defence then Frisbee...

In my defence it was a very soft peno...

FUNKY LOVER

Frisbee wrote: »

What has he lied about? He never said he was going to go spend loads of money so I'm not too sure what your talking about...

when he said that our defence needs to be improved at the end of last season,he implied he would improve it with quality and experience,not by letting campbell and gallas leave-2 players with years of premier league experience and replace them with kos,who i have nothing against,but he has 1 year in the french top divsion experience.

we all know what wenger thought when he said trust him,we thought he would bring in experience and add to our squad not replace.

but if you want to have a blinkered view that wenger didnt lie,well thats your opinion.

Frisbee

FUNKY LOVER wrote: »

but if you want to have a blinkered view that wenger didnt lie,well thats your opinion.

I'm still waiting to see where he lied tbh.

Saying we need to improve our defence != Saying we're going to go on a spending spree.

FUNKY LOVER

Frisbee wrote: »

I'm still waiting to see where he lied tbh.

Saying we need to improve our defence != Saying we're going to go on a spending spree.

well when he Said he would have all his signings done before the world cup he lied FACT!!!!!!!

Paleface

Frisbee wrote: »

!=

Does everyone here understand logic comparators?!

MementoMori

SDTimeout wrote: »

Also...I don't want to get to excited over the Jones to pool thing and what it could mean for Pepe. OptaJoe right on Q there.

71.6% -Brad Jones managed to save 71.6% of shots faced in the Championship for Boro in 09/10. 7th best in the league

It means Cavalieri will be leaving, as he's gotten tired of sitting on the bench.

Means nothing for Pepe.

Frisbee

FUNKY LOVER wrote: »

well when he Said he would have all his signings done before the world cup he lied FACT!!!!!!!

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-talking-to-definite-transfer-targets-

I'll highlight some keywords for you too so it will be abundantly clear there was no promise:

Arsène Wenger has been talking to his "definite transfer targets" and hopes to do business before the World Cup begins.

The Arsenal manager has been linked with a number of new players in recent weeks after his side dropped out of the reckoning in the Champions League and Premier League. Speaking ahead of the weekend game against Manchester City, Wenger was naturally not forthcoming on the names involved but did suggest he wanted to recruit before the tournament began in South Africa on June 11.

"I have definite transfer targets and I have been talking to people but I will not tell you to who," he told the Arsenal Matchday Programme.

The Frenchman then revealed there was a desire to bring in players ahead the summer tournament. He went on: "I believe the earlier you settle your team the better it is and the less anxiety you have."

Wenger added that he would not sign a player on their strength of their performance in South Africa "unless there is an exception there that nobody knew before. Also post-World Cup the prices are always artificial.

"Overall I feel it is very dangerous to buy on [the strength of] the tournament because sometimes there are players who are fresh and have not played the whole season. Everyone can have three weeks of glory as a football player. Ten years is a bit different."

FUNKY LOVER

Frisbee wrote: »

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-talking-to-definite-transfer-targets-

I'll highlight some keywords for you too so it will be abundantly clear there was no promise:

UGHH i had this same discussion with you when i said wenger said we would win a trophy last season.

well then why does wenger come out with this tripe if there is a chance it wont happen,it fills the majority of arsenal fans with false hope.

not you of course,because you understand wenger in a way others dont.