Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2011/2012

AnCapaillMor

DenMan wrote: »

Great news.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/255218/Arsenal-chief-Ivan-Gazidis-promises-big-spending-summer/

I love the tabloid's headlines versus actual quotes from the same article. He commented on RVP the squad but said little or nothing on buying.

DenMan

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

I love the tabloid's headlines versus actual quotes from the same article. He commented on RVP the squad but said little or nothing on buying.

True, but they also know we have to stay competitive and maintain a yearly Champions League place and the revenue it generates for Arsenal FC. If we hadn't made it for next season it may have been years if we ever got into it again. It was so important we got it in May. Our debt levels are the envy of other clubs. Finally we will see quality investment in the squad in key areas.

DenMan

DenMan wrote: »

Finally we will see quality investment in the squad in key areas.

They've been saying that for years.
We all know quality doesn't come cheap, even if we started spending big money on players £20m +, the wages won't allow us to bring in "quality".

AnCapaillMor

Exactly i've lost count the amount of times i've heard "the funds are there", "Arsenal have an XM transfer kitty" and yet we spend SFA, if we added up the tabloids transfer budget and subtract our actual buys, we'd have a couple of hundred million to spend.

As for wages there's nothing we can do really, we don't generate the income utd do, we don't have a sugar daddy, we don't have banks who throw money\loans at us like madrid or barca, plus we still got the stadium to pay off.

batistuta9

DenMan wrote: »

We're not going to sell van Persie. His own mother and wife have both come out and advised him to stay. His wife said he owes the club so much for sticking with him when he was injured and he said himself it's not about the money. A year ago we would never have been linked with a player of Podolski's quality and now we have him. As for Benayoun and Arshavin, that's still up in the air. Arshavin played brilliantly for Russia against Italy recently and has just won the league with Zenit so he's a winner now. It's about time Arsenal fans stopped fu**king complaining and started being positive and upbeat. Look at the season we had in the end. Take the Manchester clubs out of the equation and we were top of everyone else. Not bad for a team missing players (Wilshere for the whole campaign). Wenger is a great manager and when doubted during the season by so many he trumped up brilliantly.

van persie said recently that he plans on focusing on the euro's & then wants to win the champions league - make of this what you will, he also said juve were a great club when asked about them but didn't say much more as he's under a sort of injunction about speaking his future to the press from arsenal.

what the two mrs. van persie's say and what robin does is a different story, yes their encouraging statements but i would bet much on them and i can't see him being kept if he doesn't sign, not a hope actually.

just how good do you think podolski actually is?
he's the exactly the sort of player arsenal go for, not world class, not too expensive.

arshavin always plays decent for russia & was a winner before he joined arsenal you know.
we should cut our losses and sell him, shouldn't be that difficult if he done well back in russia.

I'd have no problem with benayoun coming back, if arshavin tried as much as him i'd like him back too, but he doesn't only when it suits him, i could see him returning playing great for a few weeks/months then returning to his old ways.

take another 16 teams out of the equation and blackburn finished on top of everyone else :pac::pac::pac:

AnCapaillMor

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

Exactly i've lost count the amount of times i've heard "the funds are there", "Arsenal have an XM transfer kitty" and yet we spend SFA, if we added up the tabloids transfer budget and subtract our actual buys, we'd have a couple of hundred million to spend.

As for wages there's nothing we can do really, we don't generate the income utd do, we don't have a sugar daddy, we don't have banks who throw money\loans at us like madrid or barca, plus we still got the stadium to pay off.

And this is what gets my goat ever season.
I accept fully we can only live by our means.
But every year Wenger or someone else says, "This is our year" or "we will win the title", which creates delusions amongst the fans because if they say it, it must be going to happen, and when it doesn't happen the knee jerk reactions (i'm guilty of them too:D) come out and the fans become restless and argumentative.
Maybe they should just tell the fans we will do our best and buy the best we can (budget wise).
I don't care if we don't win anything, as long as we try and look like it means something to try.:)

keano_afc

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

I love the tabloid's headlines versus actual quotes from the same article. He commented on RVP the squad but said little or nothing on buying.

First thing I noticed too.

Headline: Big spending summer ahead.
Actual quotes about spending money: 0

DenMan

His work rate and flexibility has improved since 2009 I read. Becoming a Captain and maturing would have been huge factors in Wenger signing him too. No better manager to work and get the best out of a player than Wenger. Podolski has an eye for goal and doesn’t hesitate when in the box. His work rate and strength from playing in Germany will help him settle in England. I’m very optimistic him and RVP can make a lethel combo. I’m optimistic lads for next season. A top four finish (being honest 4th) would be brilliant. Over thirty goals conceded last season, I see an improvement on that happening.

The last lethal combo we had was Senderos & Silvestre.:D

HazDanz

DenMan wrote: »

His work rate and flexibility has improved since 2009 I read. Becoming a Captain and maturing would have been huge factors in Wenger signing him too. No better manager to work and get the best out of a player than Wenger. Podolski has an eye for goal and doesn’t hesitate when in the box. His work rate and strength from playing in Germany will help him settle in England. I’m very optimistic him and RVP can make a lethel combo. I’m optimistic lads for next season. A top four finish (being honest 4th) would be brilliant. Over thirty goals conceded last season, I see an improvement on that happening.

We have to sort out the DM role. If we buy proper quality for this position coupled with a CAM I would be pretty happy going into the new season. Tbh I can only see us signing a DM though.

If RvP goes thats the wheels of the cart for next season so it's pivotal he stays. Wilshere with a good pre season hopefully will be ready sooner rather than later and would be like a new signing because he has been out for so long so it'll be interesting to see how things develop over the summer.

andrew241983

RVP 11 wrote: »

DenMan wrote: »

Finally we will see quality investment in the squad in key areas.

They've been saying that for years.
We all know quality doesn't come cheap, even if we started spending big money on players £20m +, the wages won't allow us to bring in "quality".

Lads m'vila deal is done personal terms and fee agreed they wont announce it till after the euros...exactly what happened with podolski....he was signed weeks before they announced it...

Keep the faith!!!!!

wandatowell

HazDanz wrote: »

Wilshere hopefully will be ready sooner rather than later and would be like a new signing

Is that you Arsene???

Koscielny said he will try to convince M'Villa to sign for us during Euro 2012, i do hope he signs, but that suggests to me that M'Villa might have his sights elsewhere.

RVP 11

RVP 11 wrote: »

Harry Redknapp is worried he's entering into the final year of his contract.....

"You don't let good players get down to the final year if they're any good and you don't let managers get into their final year if they're any good"
LOL
You're no use Harry.

LOL Would serve him right. He done us a massive favour whoring himself for the England job. It unsettled Tottenham big time. Return to base agents 'Arry' and 'Rosie'.

andrew241983

RVP 11 wrote: »

Koscielny said he will try to convince M'Villa to sign for us during Euro 2012, i do hope he signs, but that suggests to me that M'Villa might have his sights elsewhere.

Already done deal ;-)

andrew241983

andrew241983 wrote: »

Already done deal ;-)

Source?

keano_afc

RVP 11 wrote: »

Source?

Twitter :cool:

andrew241983

RVP 11 wrote: »

andrew241983 wrote: »

Already done deal ;-)

Source?

My nanny is the tea lady!!!

No someone in the arsenal setup the last god knows how many years but has proved very realiable in our last few signings... Told about podolski along time before it was on the radar..

P.s dont use twitter or gaybook either

andrew241983

andrew241983 wrote: »

My nanny is the tea lady!!!

No someone in the arsenal setup the last god knows how many years but has proved very realiable in our last few signings... Told about podolski along time before it was on the radar..

P.s dont use twitter or gaybook either

There is nothing reliable about anyone connected to Arsenal.:D
Most players don't sign until after internationals anyway, so i find it hard to believe he has signed before Euro 2012.
i won't hold my breath.

RVP 11

RVP 11 wrote: »

Koscielny said he will try to convince M'Villa to sign for us during Euro 2012, i do hope he signs, but that suggests to me that M'Villa might have his sights elsewhere.

I can remember Pires had all but signed for Real Madrid after Euro 2000 until somehow we managed to snare him. Worth noting Madrid were offering silly money to players even then as they went and smashed the world record for Figo and then the year after with Zidane so please god M'Vila isnt just money motivated and might sense a bit of ambition about the club.

That said Arsenal had more ambitition back then in the good old days. Personally i think RVP would stay if we could be ambitious in the transfer market this year. We have Podolski and if we got M'Vila, then i think that all we would need is a top class centre back to compete with Koc and Vermaelen. It would help no end in keeping Van Persie.

Djourou is never match fit so may as well be useless and i wont even discuss Squillachi. Mertsacker might just need another year to adjust though his glaring weaknesses are a cause for major concern.

Hopefully he'll turn out like Oleg Luzhny and get to grips with the English game and Luzhny later went on and put the likes of in form James Beattie in his pocket in the 2003 FA Cup final (Beattie was the Grant Holt/Papiss Cisse of that season)

G.K.

I honestly don't think you need a DM.

I rate Coquelin so much.

G.K.

G.K. wrote: »

I honestly don't think you need a DM.

I rate Coquelin so much.

Even though he is inexperienced and hardly played 90 mins for us?

G.K.

I don't see inexperience as a problem - if you're good enough, you're old enough.

From a pure statistical POV (Though this isn't what I made my judgement on) - M'Vila's basically a clone of Coquelin. There's no need to buy the same player for a ridiculous fee.

RVP 11

RVP 11 wrote: »

Even though he is inexperienced and hardly played 90 mins for us?

He had some game for us in the Carling Cup against City. He practically ran the midfield for us alongside Frimmy. In one way while M'Vila would make immediate impact to the team, i honestly believe that both Frimpong and Coquelin will be top drawer in two years time though its hard to expect us to wait for progress any longer.

AnCapaillMor

RVP 11 wrote: »

Source?

It clearly says it in this article, as good as signed.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/255218/Arsenal-chief-Ivan-Gazidis-promises-big-spending-summer/

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

He had some game for us in the Carling Cup against City. He practically ran the midfield for us alongside Frimmy. In one way while M'Vila would make immediate impact to the team, i honestly believe that both Frimpong and Coquelin will be top drawer in two years time though its hard to expect us to wait for progress any longer.

I don't doubt his ability, but they need quality competition in the squad to push them into performing for a place, as you say 2 years time will be judgement day for them.

emergingstar

I think we should sign mvila and if the coq is good enough he will find a place in the team

I personally think he is great and will start more games next year and be a regular prob the season after

Lucas Biglia claims to have been in talks with us.

AnCapaillMor

But apparently said he'd rarther wait for madrid. So madrid will sign him in the end, we'll get him on loan the following season and he'll turn out to be sh1te.

AnCapaillMor

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

But apparently said he'd rarther wait for madrid. So madrid will sign him in the end, we'll get him on loan the following season and he'll turn out to be sh1te.

ImpossibleDuck

So over the past few days my thoughts have turned to the economic side of Arsenal Football Club. The reason I typed out Arsenal Football Club was to illustrate that, even though we 'pride' ourselves on being a business model, Arsenal Football Club is not a brand. But it needs to be.

This type of thinking has been floating about in my noggin for the past few days but it was only when I read about the Kagawa signing (and the proclamations that it wasn't a commercial signing) plus Ivan Gazidis' interview today, I stumbled across something which I don't quite fancy.

So we're a business, supposedly. Gazidis said:

The reason we are doing all of this is to invest in what we have on the football side. We don’t take money out of the Club, all of it is reinvested and as we develop our commercial revenues all of that money goes back in onto the pitch and enables us to compete at higher levels.

Which, in theory, sounds great! And it's an element of the game I support (financial prudence, as it were). But when you look at our 'commercial ventures' you really have to wonder if we're seeing the return we expected? Gazidis states that basically the reason we can't spend loads of money on transfers and wages is that it's constantly being re-invested into the club.

Now, in England, there's not much we can do about enticing supporters. Most people are either born into AFC, happen upon a certain FA cup final (like myself) or simply support them because their schoolyard chums supported Arsenal. Not much we can do there, I accept that. But there's a bloody huge market in Asia that we're really struggling to get a foothold in, despite all this "reinvestment".

Now, this was sparked this morning by reading Richard Arnold (commercial director of MUFC) talk about how the transfer of Shinji Kagawa was in no way commercial. I, for one, actually agree with him, I'm not sure about the rest of you. My point is not to dispute whether or not this was commercial but it's to highlight how MUFC have tapped into the Asian market.

We pride ourselves on our Youth4Gold system we've set up here. But, in reality, which draws more money, the sales of shirts to tens of millions of Asian fans every year (perhaps even breaking the 100 million fans mark) or the youth-talent factory we've built? Don't get me wrong, I love our system and love the fact that our youngster are AFC through and through (Szcz, Jack, Frimpong) but I'm beginning to wonder whether we're putting all our eggs in the one basket here a little. Sure, when we get a pay-off like Cesc (£0 to £40m) it's a great business model, but look at Denilson, Diaby, Bendtner, the Hoytes, Lansbury, Bartley and look at the amount of money we're throwing down the drain on contracts.

Obviously, I don't know the ins and outs of our support in Asia, but I can say with quite a bit of confidence, that we don't have anywhere near the support MUFC has over there and we don't see nearly the same return every year. I'm wondering whether the club is doing enough to make ourselves visible in Asia. An annual friendly against Hangzhou Greentown is a start but I'd certainly hope we're doing a lot more.

I'm too lazy to go looking for them, but I remember seeing figures of MUFC's turnover for this year. It was astoundingly high. And I'll tell ya, it's not from winning trophies or competing in Europe. We're doing something wrong.

1. This is ignoring MUFC's massive debt problem, yes.
2. Source
3. Source

gosplan

ImpossibleDuck wrote: »

So over the past few days my thoughts have turned to the economic side of Arsenal Football Club. The reason I typed out Arsenal Football Club was to illustrate that, even though we 'pride' ourselves on being a business model, Arsenal Football Club is not a brand. But it needs to be.

This type of thinking has been floating about in my noggin for the past few days but it was only when I read about the Kagawa signing (and the proclamations that it wasn't a commercial signing) plus Ivan Gazidis' interview today, I stumbled across something which I don't quite fancy.

So we're a business, supposedly. Gazidis said:

The reason we are doing all of this is to invest in what we have on the football side. We don’t take money out of the Club, all of it is reinvested and as we develop our commercial revenues all of that money goes back in onto the pitch and enables us to compete at higher levels.

Which, in theory, sounds great! And it's an element of the game I support (financial prudence, as it were). But when you look at our 'commercial ventures' you really have to wonder if we're seeing the return we expected? Gazidis states that basically the reason we can't spend loads of money on transfers and wages is that it's constantly being re-invested into the club.

Now, in England, there's not much we can do about enticing supporters. Most people are either born into AFC, happen upon a certain FA cup final (like myself) or simply support them because their schoolyard chums supported Arsenal. Not much we can do there, I accept that. But there's a bloody huge market in Asia that we're really struggling to get a foothold in, despite all this "reinvestment".

Now, this was sparked this morning by reading Richard Arnold (commercial director of MUFC) talk about how the transfer of Shinji Kagawa was in no way commercial. I, for one, actually agree with him, I'm not sure about the rest of you. My point is not to dispute whether or not this was commercial but it's to highlight how MUFC have tapped into the Asian market.

We pride ourselves on our Youth4Gold system we've set up here. But, in reality, which draws more money, the sales of shirts to tens of millions of Asian fans every year (perhaps even breaking the 100 million fans mark) or the youth-talent factory we've built? Don't get me wrong, I love our system and love the fact that our youngster are AFC through and through (Szcz, Jack, Frimpong) but I'm beginning to wonder whether we're putting all our eggs in the one basket here a little. Sure, when we get a pay-off like Cesc (£0 to £40m) it's a great business model, but look at Denilson, Diaby, Bendtner, the Hoytes, Lansbury, Bartley and look at the amount of money we're throwing down the drain on contracts.

Obviously, I don't know the ins and outs of our support in Asia, but I can say with quite a bit of confidence, that we don't have anywhere near the support MUFC has over there and we don't see nearly the same return every year. I'm wondering whether the club is doing enough to make ourselves visible in Asia. An annual friendly against Hangzhou Greentown is a start but I'd certainly hope we're doing a lot more.

I'm too lazy to go looking for them, but I remember seeing figures of MUFC's turnover for this year. It was astoundingly high. And I'll tell ya, it's not from winning trophies or competing in Europe. We're doing something wrong.

[SIZE="1"]1. This is ignoring MUFC's massive debt problem, yes.
2. Source
3. Source[/SIZE]

British culture and symbolism has been quite fashionable in Asia for a few decades. The Manchester trophy monopoly combined with beckham made them in Asia, or at least in Korea and Japan.

Winning stuff or signing players based on their nationalities are the only two real ways to expand.

ImpossibleDuck

gosplan wrote: »

British culture and symbolism has been quite fashionable in Asia for a few decades. The Manchester trophy monopoly combined with beckham made them in Asia, or at least in Korea and Japan.

Winning stuff or signing players based on their nationalities are the only two real ways to expand.

So you believe the millions and millions they rake in year after year is just a happy coincedince? Even here, MUFC is a brand. AFC is not.

That's something we should be looking to change in my opinion, if we are serious about this business model.

tayto lover

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

It clearly says it in this article, as good as signed.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/255218/Arsenal-chief-Ivan-Gazidis-promises-big-spending-summer/

The Fans meeting was today so this article was very timely:rolleyes:

gosplan

ImpossibleDuck wrote: »

gosplan wrote: »

British culture and symbolism has been quite fashionable in Asia for a few decades. The Manchester trophy monopoly combined with beckham made them in Asia, or at least in Korea and Japan.

Winning stuff or signing players based on their nationalities are the only two real ways to expand.

So you believe the millions and millions they rake in year after year is just a happy coincedince? Even here, MUFC is a brand. AFC is not.

That's something we should be looking to change in my opinion, if we are serious about this business model.

No, my point was that they rake in millions because they've been the most successful and attractive team for the last 20 plus years.

Either we win things or we start signing, and playing, Asian players.

ImpossibleDuck

gosplan wrote: »

No, my point was that they rake in millions because they've been the most successful and attractive team for the last 20 plus years.

Either we win things or we start signing, and playing, Asian players.

Well, fair enough. I, personally, think there's more to it than that but we'll agree to disagree.

Sgt Pepper 64

Yossi's going to announce his plans soon.
Maybe he's part of your quality spending spree?

HazDanz

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

Yossi's going to announce his plans soon.
Maybe he's part of your quality spending spree?

Nothing wrong with Benny sticking around, he had a decent year for us and got us across the line in the final game of the season when others didn't seem to care too much about the importance of a win. I remember him coming up with a winner against Villa away as well in the last five minutes when we didn't look like scoring.

Great utility player and we could do a lot worse. Great work ethic and was totally commited to getting the champions league place for the club, as he is a chelsea player that impressed me so I wouldn't say no to the man getting more time at Arsenal.

emergingstar

Tim Payton chairman of the AST, is having a do at cesc over his antics last summer, he is tweeting that gazidis said something about it at the meeting, can't find a link or anything for it
If any of ye could find it so I can have a read would be much appreciated

emergingstar

From what I can gather he confirmed that cesc refused to play or train until he was sold still can't find a proper qoute though
If that's true that's unreal behaviour from the captain of the club yet all the fans still love him, on the other hand nasri have everything up until he was sold and we all despise him

On another note the only other thing of note to come out of the AST was all our eggs are in the FFP basket we have no back up plan, if that's not implemented strongly were fooked

cson

I can't understand the ferocity of the bad will towards Nasri tbh. It was our own fault we were in a position where he had only a year left on his contract - and we don't seem to have learned from it.

emergingstar

cson wrote: »

I can't understand the ferocity of the bad will towards Nasri tbh. It was our own fault we were in a position where he had only a year left on his contract - and we don't seem to have learned from it.

Supposedly gazidis touched in why they leave players get there contracts low

gnfnrhead

emergingstar wrote: »

From what I can gather he confirmed that cesc refused to play or train until he was sold still can't find a proper qoute though
If that's true that's unreal behaviour from the captain of the club yet all the fans still love him, on the other hand nasri have everything up until he was sold and we all despise him

On another note the only other thing of note to come out of the AST was all our eggs are in the FFP basket we have no back up plan, if that's not implemented strongly were fooked

I don't love him but I don't hate him either, I'm more on the "not a huge fan" side of things. He could have done much worse.

AnCapaillMor

emergingstar wrote: »

On another note the only other thing of note to come out of the AST was all our eggs are in the FFP basket we have no back up plan, if that's not implemented strongly were fooked

We're fooked then because if it comes down to kicking out one of the big european names i can't see them doing it as it'll hurt UEFA's revenue. And i'm sure the sugar daddies have already found a way around the FFP, the ethiad sponsorship deal for instance.

cson

cson wrote: »

I can't understand the ferocity of the bad will towards Nasri tbh. It was our own fault we were in a position where he had only a year left on his contract - and we don't seem to have learned from it.

Totally, some of our fans think that the average wages we pay should = total loyalty to club even when they are offered double the wage elsewhere, like everyone saying RVP has to stay, he owes it to us!!!:pac:
We OWE him, otherwise we would be out of the CL, and left to rot next season, probably without a Podolski too.

Diddy Kong

RVP 11 wrote: »

Totally, some of our fans think that the average wages we pay should = total loyalty to club even when they are offered double the wage elsewhere, like everyone saying RVP has to stay, he owes it to us!!!:pac:
We OWE him, otherwise we would be out of the CL, and left to rot next season, probably without a Podolski too.

That's crap, this is RVP's first full season, he does owe us something as we still paid him through all of the injuries!

Diddy Kong

Diddy Kong wrote: »

That's crap, this is RVP's first full season, he does owe us something as we still paid him through all of the injuries!

pfffffttttttt
are you off your rocker or what??
He owes us because we paid him through injuries??? like every other club does in the world ?
I've heard it all now:pac:

Snakeblood

RVP 11 wrote: »

pfffffttttttt
are you off your rocker or what??
He owes us because we paid him through injuries??? like every other club does in the world ?
I've heard it all now:pac:

Not every player was as consistently injured. It wouldn't surprise me if it was a factor. If a player looks around and sees that faith was put in them even if they're looking like a permacrock like Diaby it might mean something when it comes to renegotiation. Some people don't like feeling like a commodity that's offloaded as soon as there's a problem.

Snakeblood

Snakeblood wrote: »

Not every player was as consistently injured. It wouldn't surprise me if it was a factor. If a player looks around and sees that faith was put in them even if they're looking like a permacrock like Diaby it might mean something when it comes to renegotiation. Some people don't like feeling like a commodity that's offloaded as soon as there's a problem.

What difference does it make though, when a player gets injured it's in their contract to be paid until contract ends, we offered him a contract year after year, because we felt sorry for him??
Nah Wenger knew he was a special player that's why.

emergingstar

Anyone read John Cross article think it was last week bout the van Persie situation
Take that with a few comments Ivan made last night

I wouldn't be surprised if arsenal are playing hardball with RVP too, which I hope we are, he is the one taking most risks

If he plays hard ball they should say simple your not going, get in his replacement
Me personally would take 30 million and say thanks for the great season