Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2011/2012

ImpossibleDuck

greendom wrote: »

Worst possible set of results tonight. Still we're in the driving seat. Win both matches and we finish 3rd. Simples !!

How confident are you of taking all six points though? Because, to me, it's almost a given with this team that we'll drop somewhere.

Sútalún

jonneymendoza wrote: »

3 or 4 of who? And where will these 3 or 4 new players play?

Look at our squad when its injury free and you will be hard pressed to find where these new players will play especially if wilshere comes back next season and also Ashavin.

Matter of fact, i reckon Wilshere will struggle to hold a starting position in our side.

put Arteta in the bench for wilshere? hell no, Song? no chance. A transformed Rosisky? Doubtful.

The way Rosisky is playing right now, he is playing sensationally and Wilshere will have to play in the same level as fabregas to better Rosisky.

You then have Chambalin to contend with and possibly Ramsey if he gets his act together and you have a midfield where any aditional midfielder wont get a say unless where buying someone as good as xavi.

Defensive wise i think we can add one or two at best. We have 3 great CB's, merteska, Kols and verminator and then we have gibbs and santos at LB and sagna and Jenkins(who i rate before he got injured) at RB. So at best one new defender could be added to that.

My point is that we cannot over flow our team. we can only play 11 at a time and even with a couple of injuries across the board, we have Ramsey/mertesaka, podolski/walcott/gevinho/jekins/Gibbs/Ashavin all sitting on the bench who can all do a decent, nto stella job as backups.

Adding 3-4 new players to that list, we will HAVE to get rid of a couple of the above players to make room for them.

IMO all we need is 2 new players maximum. Dont forget, Wilshere will 99% be back at the start of next season or thereabouts and that is like a new signing.

I'm sorry but barring a serious drop of form Jack starts every day of the week.
Was unplayable last season.

Soups123

greendom wrote: »

Worst possible set of results tonight. Still we're in the driving seat. Win both matches and we finish 3rd. Simples !!

Meh..... Newcastle one ok, rules Chelsea out, Newcastle will drop points on Saturday, I've a gut Spurs will only get the draw v Villa. We'll beat Norwich pretty much guaranteeing 3rd.

Marty McFly

Its an awful shame were worrying giving who were playing in the last two games, should be wins in them games every day of the week.

My only fear is of nerves kicking and we bottle it which we have a history of doing, but im hoping and from what ive seen the last few months we should have the nerve and determination to do it.

3rd is ours, but I will be watching all footie on Saturday with one eye closed and ive a strong suspicion a few beers aswell to settles the nerves .

Gnfnrhead are you still on your self imposed ban of viewing games?

greendom

Soups123 wrote: »

Meh..... Newcastle one ok, rules Chelsea out, Newcastle will drop points on Saturday, I've a gut Spurs will only get the draw v Villa. We'll beat Norwich pretty much guaranteeing 3rd.

Chelsea not being in the top 4 is not a good thing. Say come season's end we finish 4th. Then we'll be waiting for the Chelsea result to see if we're in the Champions League. Much rather they'd beaten Newcastle tonight.

HazDanz

At least this dip in form isn't ten games out that it is happening, there's only two games left. Spurs/Newcastle being on fire now and us looking a little stale, the positive I can see is the lads must realise the end is in sight and it's still completly in their control.

The final home game of the season, infront of a decent Arsenal crowd should get them over the line against Norwich.

gnfnrhead

Two games against two teams who have literally nothing to play for, and people are still expecting us to drop points. It seems like some of you guys dont realise that we just need to win both our games. Spurs can win 15-0 and it wont make any difference. Have at least a LITTLE confidance.

Marty McFly wrote: »

Gnfnrhead are you still on your self imposed ban of viewing games?

I am. Not sure what happened with Wigan but I was still asleep for the QPR game. I'm usually following them on here so maybe that had something to do with it :pac: Cant remember if I did for the Wigan game or not.

jonneymendoza

Sútalún wrote: »

I'm sorry but barring a serious drop of form Jack starts every day of the week.
Was unplayable last season.

In whos replacement? Arteta? Song? Rosisky? Point is not about wilshere though but teh fact that if you look at our entire squad right now, you'd be hard press to find where tehse new 3-4 players we some how need will slot into this side unless we are buying young world class proven players as you would need amazing players to replace Song, Vermahlen, Sagna, RVP,Arteta etc out of our starting 11.

Anyways the pressure is huge on us and this is a BIG test for the team and for wenger. if Wenger and co can pull off 3rd place then we are on the right track to start talking about this side and our manager competing for the title again.

Sútalún

jonneymendoza wrote: »

In whos replacement? Arteta? Song? Rosisky? Point is not about wilshere though but teh fact that if you look at our entire squad right now, you'd be hard press to find where tehse new 3-4 players we some how need will slot into this side unless we are buying young world class proven players as you would need amazing players to replace Song, Vermahlen, Sagna, RVP,Arteta etc out of our starting 11.

Anyways the pressure is huge on us and this is a BIG test for the team and for wenger. if Wenger and co can pull off 3rd place then we are on the right track to start talking about this side and our manager competing for the title again.

Rosicky. But if the choice was between Song or Jack, Id drop Song if needs be. So much more consistent.

Marty McFly

jonneymendoza wrote: »

In whos replacement? Arteta? Song? Rosisky? Point is not about wilshere though but teh fact that if you look at our entire squad right now, you'd be hard press to find where tehse new 3-4 players we some how need will slot into this side unless we are buying young world class proven players as you would need amazing players to replace Song, Vermahlen, Sagna, RVP,Arteta etc out of our starting 11.

Anyways the pressure is huge on us and this is a BIG test for the team and for wenger. if Wenger and co can pull off 3rd place then we are on the right track to start talking about this side and our manager competing for the title again.

For me no player is ever irreplacable in a team in any position. Arteta, Song and Rosicky have all had good seasons but there are better players out there than all three Song and Arteta as youve mentioned them two specifically most certainly are, for me Song can be amazing but can also be terrible at times. Wilshere fully fit and on the form he was in before his injury would be in almost every team in the worlds starting 11, so replacing one of them three is not a maybe its a foregone conclusion really.

HazDanz

Marty McFly wrote: »

For me no player is ever irreplacable in a team in any position. Arteta, Song and Rosicky have all had good seasons but there are better players out there than all three Song and Arteta as youve mentioned them two specifically most certainly are, for me Song can be amazing but can also be terrible at times. Wilshere fully fit and on the form he was in before his injury would be in almost every team in the worlds starting 11, so replacing one of them three is not a maybe its a foregone conclusion really.

Really? I can't agree with that. He's great and think he'll be brillant but I couldn't say that about him at the minute.

Marty McFly

HazDanz wrote: »

Really? I can't agree with that. He's great and think he'll be brillant but I couldn't say that about him at the minute.

I honestly think he would, if you remeber back to the Barcelona game last year he bossed the midfield, that included, Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, Busquets some of the best midfielders in the world and Wilshere schooled them all that night, winning praise in Spain and from Barcelona themselves after the game and thats just one game he done it many times last season. A season he won our player of the season and pfa young player of the season he was sensational.

Now im not saying hes the best midfielder in the world at the momment but he could play a big part in any team in the world if he comes back on that form. I jsut hope injurys havent effected him.

greendom

jonneymendoza wrote: »

In whos replacement? Arteta? Song? Rosisky? Point is not about wilshere though but teh fact that if you look at our entire squad right now, you'd be hard press to find where tehse new 3-4 players we some how need will slot into this side unless we are buying young world class proven players as you would need amazing players to replace Song, Vermahlen, Sagna, RVP,Arteta etc out of our starting 11.

Anyways the pressure is huge on us and this is a BIG test for the team and for wenger. if Wenger and co can pull off 3rd place then we are on the right track to start talking about this side and our manager competing for the title again.

The squad we have now is good, but not good enough to win the title. We are too far from the top 2. We got a bit of a lucky break in that Liverpool are way off form, Chelsea were in the doldrums for a long time and Tottenham had that awful run. Despite all this going in our favour 3rd or 4th is still somewhat precarious. We need to improve our options at full back in midfield and up-front to have any chance of challenging.

gnfnrhead

HazDanz wrote: »

Really? I can't agree with that. He's great and think he'll be brillant but I couldn't say that about him at the minute.

Of all the hundreds of thousands of teams in world football, do you honestly think there is more than a handful that he wouldnt get in to? The point wasnt that he would get in to every team, but he would definitly make the vast, vast majority of them.

We need two 'Milan 3-0/Spurs 5-2' performances now.

batistuta9

jonneymendoza wrote: »

In whos replacement? Arteta? Song? Rosisky? Point is not about wilshere though but teh fact that if you look at our entire squad right now, you'd be hard press to find where tehse new 3-4 players we some how need will slot into this side unless we are buying young world class proven players as you would need amazing players to replace Song, Vermahlen, Sagna, RVP,Arteta etc out of our starting 11.

Anyways the pressure is huge on us and this is a BIG test for the team and for wenger. if Wenger and co can pull off 3rd place then we are on the right track to start talking about this side and our manager competing for the title again.

wilshere will be starting if he's fit, no questions about it

m'vila or javi martinez if one of them signs will replace song or he could keep his place if they go like this :
podolski----wilshere----walcott

---

song

---

m'vila\martinez

ramsey starts ahead of rosicky now ffs, given the form both of them are in

batistuta9

HazDanz wrote: »

Really? I can't agree with that. He's great and think he'll be brillant but I couldn't say that about him at the minute.

that's because he's injured

jonneymendoza

greendom wrote: »

The squad we have now is good, but not good enough to win the title. We are too far from the top 2. We got a bit of a lucky break in that Liverpool are way off form, Chelsea were in the doldrums for a long time and Tottenham had that awful run. Despite all this going in our favour 3rd or 4th is still somewhat precarious. We need to improve our options at full back in midfield and up-front to have any chance of challenging.

well we need to get rid of someone in order to make room for a better player or else people like ramsey will just rot in teh reserves never gettinga look at.

If we get someone liek M'villa, Ramsey or rosisky ro someone in midfield HAS to go IMO.

TBH mate if u look at United's squad. they on paper are no better then ours yet they are fighting for teh title. why? because of there manager motivating that average looking United to play 10x better then what they should be playing.

This is why i believe that THIS current crop of players CAN compete for titles again if wenger can get the very very best out of these lot.

jonneymendoza

batistuta9 wrote: »

wilshere will be starting if he's fit, no questions about it

m'vila or javi martinez if one of them signs will replace song or he could keep his place if they go like this :
podolski----wilshere----walcott

---

song

---

m'vila\martinez

ramsey starts ahead of rosicky now ffs, given the form both of them are in

Did u just put Wilshere upfront? :eek:

batistuta9

jonneymendoza wrote: »

Did u just put Wilshere upfront? :eek:

no it's a 4-2-3-1 formation.

full team might make it clearer:

---

RVP

---

podolski----wilshere

---

walcott

---

song

---

m'vila\martinez

---

gibbs---vermaelen

---

kos----sagna

---

szczesny

---

gnfnrhead

Wasnt Wilshere playing a deeper role last year?

batistuta9

gnfnrhead wrote: »

Wasnt Wilshere playing a deeper role last year?

yeah, but he could play that position no problem & some players start out playing deeper in the midfield - eg fabregas - or out wide before playing centrally.

keano_afc

The team needs to stay focused and not worry about other teams results. 2 games left, both very much winnable. That's the task at hand.

As for overloading our squad, this is Arsenal we're talking about. I don't think its possible to have too many players considering our injury record.

Radharc na Sleibhte

Two cup finals.
Oh me nerves

Sergio

Both Newcastle and spurs won well tonight,Defo need to try and win both games against norwich and WBA.

HazDanz

Marty McFly wrote: »

Now im not saying hes the best midfielder in the world at the momment but he could play a big part in any team in the world if he comes back on that form. I jsut hope injurys havent effected him.

gnfnrhead wrote: »

Of all the hundreds of thousands of teams in world football, do you honestly think there is more than a handful that he wouldnt get in to? The point wasnt that he would get in to every team, but he would definitly make the vast, vast majority of them.

In a more defensive midfielder role I agree he would slot in nicely with an awful lot of teams. Most teams based on last seasons performance.

In a more attacking role though which people seem to think he will play when he is back I would be a lot more on the fence with him. His stats are not brillant in terms of goals and assists which would be a requirement for that role. He hasn't proven yet that he can make a killer pass in the final third like a Fabregas or Nasri did, finding those tough pockets of space to unlock defenses. To me he excels as a player when breaking up the play, so is required to play short and direct passes (he did this with grace) rather than expansive balls that open the play. He's a great tackler/harrier of the ball too so for me I would want him taking up a similar role to what he left before his injury and not get pushed up the pitch to do a job he hasn't done before.

Like you were saying Marty I hope being out for such a long period of time doesn't effect him and he gets back to his best. We need him badly!

Frisbee

ImpossibleDuck wrote: »

How confident are you of taking all six points though? Because, to me, it's almost a given with this team that we'll drop somewhere.

This.

We've fallen apart at the end of the season for the past 5 years. If any team can screw this up, it's us.

I have faith in them.
They should be treating these matches like Champions league games, if they don't then only Wenger is at fault.
Like Jonney said, it's his job to motivate the players and make them realise how important these games are.

Sergio

RVP 11 wrote: »

I have faith in them.
They should be treating these matches like Champions league games, if they don't then only Wenger is at fault.
Like Jonney said, it's his job to motivate the players and make them realise how important these games are.

Couldnt agree more they need to treat both games as if they were cup finals!

AnCapaillMor

As an emergency back up does anyone know what hotel spuds are staying in before the villa game? we may need to deploy operation fish lasagne again.

greendom

Yes, it's leaky bum time again

2ndcoming

batistuta9 wrote: »

wilshere will be starting if he's fit, no questions about it

m'vila or javi martinez if one of them signs will replace song or he could keep his place if they go like this :
podolski----wilshere----walcott

---

song

---

m'vila\martinez

ramsey starts ahead of rosicky now ffs, given the form both of them are in

I would love if we signed Javi Martinez but I haven't heard any links?

Galvasean

Sútalún wrote: »

I'm sorry but barring a serious drop of form Jack starts every day of the week.
Was unplayable last season.

The lad hasn't played football in an entire season (his 3 minute cameo in the Emirates Cup notwithstanding) and if reports are to be believed he won't be ready for the start of next season. He will have to be nurtured back into the side very gradually to avoid risking further injury (look what keeps happening to Diaby and how long it took Rosicky to get back on form). We should feel privileged that we have good options in Song, Arteta and Rosicky so that we don't have to rush him back. I wouldn't expect to see Wilshere as a regular starter 'til Christmas in all honesty.

AnCapaillMor

Speaking of Arteta, i was looking at the opta stats. He's down for the most passes and the highest completion %. Fair play to him.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11670/2705370/Premier-League-stats

HazDanz

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

Speaking of Arteta, i was looking at the opta stats. He's down for the most passes and the highest completion %. Fair play to him.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11670/2705370/Premier-League-stats

And Song down as one of the "bad boys" with 8 yellows to his name. Timed his yellow accumulation to perfection!

cson

Arteta is playing an Alonso esque role for us in keeping the ball moving. I'm loathe to say it but Ramsey could take a leaf out of his book re simplicity of passing, the reason I'm loathe to say it being that Ramsey is [was] one of those players with a creative eye so you have to forgive 2/3 **** ups for that one assist that the majority of players don't have. If he can improve on his decision making and finishing I've no doubt he'll be a big player for us again.

amiable

Aparently Yann M'Vila's agent met with Inter officials to discuss a summer move

Wolf Club

I haven't seen M'Vila play very much but if he is to be brought in would that suggest that Wenger is looking for someone other than Song to be our starting DM? I like Song a lot, but I don't think our team can challenge for the title with him as our midfield anchor. He's been helped a lot by Arteta this season and Wilshire last season, and to be honest had he not added a certain creativity to his game this year I'd say a lot more people would be looking to have him replaced. Saying that, if M'Vila is the only central midfielder we buy this summer, maybe Song could be used as a utility player? He'd be a great back up to M'Vila or Wilshire in the deeper positions, would be adequate in a more attacking role and, if completely necessary, could be used as a backup central defender. There's probably a bit too much pressure being put on him now as he's the only real option we have in his position, but if M'Vila is brought in it could help him in developing his overall game (given our injury record in midfield, I'd say he definitely wouldn't be starved of game time).

batistuta9

2ndcoming wrote: »

I would love if we signed Javi Martinez but I haven't heard any links?

here's one about it story below

Arsenal face £32m fight with Barca and United to land Bilbao ace Martinez
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 21:00 GMT, 27 April 2012 | UPDATED: 21:00 GMT, 27 April 2012
Comments (21)
Share

Arsenal have taken significant steps towards a summer move for Athletic Bilbao's Javi Martinez.
The versatile Spain international has been coveted by Barcelona and Manchester United after his excellent displays but features prominently on Arsene Wenger's summer shopping list.
A senior Arsenal scout watched the 23-year-old in Bilbao's 3-1 Europa League win over Sporting Lisbon on Thursday and Martinez impressed as Marcelo Bielsa's side progressed to the final.

In demand: Athletic Bilbao midfielder Javi Martinez (left) has many admirers


Rennes' £20m-rated Yann M'Vila remains the Arsenal manager's preferred signing but Wenger has decided not to pin all his hopes on the France international.

Top of Arsene's shopping list: Rennes midfielder Yann M'Vila (right)
Martinez, 23, could cost more given he has a £32m buyout clause but Arsenal would hope to negotiate.
Anderlecht midfielder Lucas Biglia is another option for Wenger but Real Madrid are in pole position for the Argentine.

look at this as well it's all over the place

going by the 3 players linked a DM is definitely a priority for wenger

Galvasean

£32million? Can't see that happening.

HazDanz

Does anyone think we will break the 20 million pound barrier for a player this summer?

L'prof

HazDanz wrote: »

Does anyone think we will break the 20 million pound barrier for a player this summer?

Nope, we'll make a couple more signings though!

emergingstar

RVP "whatever happens I will always feel like a gunner"

Don't like that quote, both cesc and Thierry said that and they both fcuked off

batistuta9

Galvasean wrote: »

£32million? Can't see that happening.

i seen before that he would cost less than m'vila, who's supposed to be going to cost ~£20mil.

maybe the just found out about this clause exists & ran with it. I don't know what bilbao are like financially - though europa league will help them - but can't see them holding out for that much, if they got a decent enough offer i think they'd sell

Galvasean

Personally I cant see Wenger spending £20 million on a single player. Perhaps a couple of players close to £15 million (some of it clauses, precious clauses!!!).

batistuta9

Galvasean wrote: »

Personally I cant see Wenger spending £20 million on a single player. Perhaps a couple of players close to £15 million (some of it clauses, precious clauses!!!).

yeah it'd be out of character for him alright

danlen

Is the general consensus that frimpong wont make it, esp after his injury, looked like a really useful player, hard to know how he'll respond after two serious injuries now

gnfnrhead

danlen wrote: »

Is the general consensus that frimpong wont make it, esp after his injury, looked like a really useful player, hard to know how he'll respond after two serious injuries now

I don't know where you're getting that idea from. Most seem to think it'll just put him back a year or so and maybe let Coquelin pass him in the pecking order. I think most still expect him to make it.

Frisbee

Coquelin is already above Frimpong in the pecking order for me.

They are both great defensively but Coquelin can actually use the ball too. If we had to get rid of one I'd sell Frimpong in a second tbh. The only thing he has going for him over Coq, imo, is that he's a local lad so probably less likely to piss off to Spain or Italy if he gets any good.

TomKat

You have found another of the few Arsenal fans in the country! What are people's thoughts on Vertongen? We don't really need him a whole lot imo and I can't see why Spurs do either though i'd imagine one or two of their centre backs must be heading on. Don't forget Ryo will be back next season... can't see that Javi Martinez happening... who is going to be our french signing?