Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013

batistuta9

:pac::pac::pac:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=84696915&postcount=693

gnfnrhead

Much bigger than I thought so just a link:

http://i.imgur.com/JkJAYCa.jpg

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Deleted User wrote: »

Youve an extra space between your youtube tags just to tell you

Damn, thought I fixed it before anyone would notice! Was doing it on my phone in fairness.:pac:

Drexel

Having to bring Oxo on yesterday for Arteta really showed up or lack of strength and depth in the holding midfielder role. Has to be a priority this summer

meriwether

jonny666 wrote: »

Having to bring Oxo on yesterday for Arteta really showed up or lack of strength and depth in the holding midfielder role. Has to be a priority this summer

Ramsey dropped back.

We have Arteta, Ramsey and Coquelin who can play that role, and Ramsey, wilshere, Rosicky, Ox and Cazorla who can play a bit further up.

I agree we need a midfielder, unless Ox develops dramatically this summer/early next season. He is being groomed as a central mid.

emergingstar

I finally think we're coming out of our bad patch this summer is massive

First summer in a while the shackles are off, I'm glad we have wenger to see us into this new period even if I did question it at times

We won't win the league next year but if have a good young group now and we should be on an upward spiral

For those posters who wanted 5th so we would sack our greatest ever manger

Shame on ye

emergingstar

meriwether wrote: »

Ramsey dropped back.

We have Arteta, Ramsey and Coquelin who can play that role, and Ramsey, wilshere, Rosicky, Ox and Cazorla who can play a bit further up.

I agree we need a midfielder, unless Ox develops dramatically this summer/early next season. He is being groomed as a central mid.

I would love a big holding midfielder but I reckon he will drop back Ramsey too to make room for jack

Galvasean

emergingstar wrote: »

For those posters who wanted 5th so we would sack our greatest ever manger

Shame on ye

Actually, I'd like to hear from them and see if they hold to that opinion. Not to denote them though. Just to see if they've changed their minds.

Gringo180

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

Gary neville was spot on again after the game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjfyvR2IZEg

This man is an absolute genius, I would pay money to see him saying this to the likes of Giles, Whelan and Cunningham.

wandatowell

Gringo180 wrote: »

This man is an absolute genius

ah lad

emergingstar

Galvasean wrote: »

Actually, I'd like to hear from them and see if they hold to that opinion. Not to denote them though. Just to see if they've changed their minds.

Would like to hear too
I like good debate on here no one is right or wrong just have different opinions on the different aspects of the club
It drives the forum on as long as its not childish

Galvasean

Gringo180 wrote: »

This man is an absolute genius, I would pay money to see him saying this to the likes of Giles, Whelan and Cunningham.

He'd rip them a new one. They aren't used to having their opinions challenged. They're just soapboxers who sing from the same hymn sheet.

Colonialboy

Fantastic day of football yesterday, the atmosphere, the cheering crowds, the smiling faces after victory, the kids being held high, the memories of winning, that special feeling of being with your dad and watching your team win something, a shared bond that will stay with you forever. The players sharing a special achievement .. Yeovil Town what a performance.

Oh yeah Arsenal 4th place and trophyless again, lets celebrate that too.

meriwether

Colonialboy wrote: »

Fantastic day of football yesterday, the atmosphere, the cheering crowds, the smiling faces after victory, the kids being held high, the memories of winning, that special feeling of being with your dad and watching your team win something, a shared bond that will stay with you forever. The players sharing a special achievement .. Yeovil Town what a performance.

Oh yeah Arsenal 4th place and trophyless again, lets celebrate that too.

I agree.

What are you drinking?

Gringo180

wandatowell wrote: »

ah lad

Bit of an over reaction on my part, many apologies

meriwether

Galvasean wrote: »

Walcott 21 (14)
Giroud 17 (11)
Podolski 16 (11)
Cazorla 12 (12)
Gervinho 7 (5)
Arteta 6 (6)
Koscielny 4 (2)
Mertesacker 3 (3)
Rosicky 3 (2)
Mr. Owen Goal 3 (3)
Ramsey 2 (1)
Chamakh 2 (0)
Oxlade-Chamberlain 2 (1)
Wilshere 2 (0)
Arshavin 1 (0)
Gibbs 1 (0)
Miquel 1 (0)
Monreal 1 (1)
Vermaelen 1 (0)

(League goals in brackets)

There is our problem.

11 league goals from our top striker. Needs to be 20.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

meriwether wrote: »

There is our problem.

11 league goals from our top striker. Needs to be 20.

We still scored more than last year though, so it's nice to have them spread around.

AdamD

Galvasean wrote: »

Walcott 21 (14)
Giroud 17 (11)
Podolski 16 (11)
Cazorla 12 (12)
Gervinho 7 (5)
Arteta 6 (6)
Koscielny 4 (2)
Mertesacker 3 (3)
Rosicky 3 (2)
Mr. Owen Goal 3 (3)
Ramsey 2 (1)
Chamakh 2 (0)
Oxlade-Chamberlain 2 (1)
Wilshere 2 (0)
Arshavin 1 (0)
Gibbs 1 (0)
Miquel 1 (0)
Monreal 1 (1)
Vermaelen 1 (0)

(League goals in brackets)

Players in green I'd expect to score more next season. Wilshere and Ox in particular, Wilshere needs to work on his shooting and Ox just needs more game time, he has a great long shot on him. Walcott seems to be scoring more year on year though really I'd be delighted if he broke 20 consistently, there is certainly potential for him to continue to kick on though. Poldi will probably score more with more minutes on the pitch, though his all round play has worried me over the last few games. Giroud you'd expect to score more but it would depend on whether we buy an upgrade or not.

When you add Ramsey/Wilshere/Ox as players to develop their goalscoring we should have a nice balance of goals from all over the pitch.

meriwether

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

We still scored more than last year though, so it's nice to have them spread around.

They are sporead out, but we need someone with the class to take it to the big teams.

Giroud was lacking against the best defences this season.

Maybe he will improve.

gosplan

meriwether wrote: »

They are sporead out, but we need someone with the class to take it to the big teams.

Giroud was lacking against the best defences this season.

Maybe he will improve.

Same defensive record but with a striker delivering 20+ next season and we'll be near the top come the end.

That was the key to the invincibles team. Yeah Henry was awsonme but in the tough games, it was Pires and Ljundberg's 10+ goals a season that made the difference.

Assuming no-one leaves, we need a beastly DMF and a top striker.

Good point from Neville on that video. If Wenger gets this right and the club push the new big financial pedal to the floor, people will look back at the last 8 years as genius rather than an aimless barren spell.

I think Wenger knows this too. WE CAN CHALLENGE!!!

Sign the players!!!

Fuzzy_Dunlop

meriwether wrote: »

They are sporead out, but we need someone with the class to take it to the big teams.

Giroud was lacking against the best defences this season.

Maybe he will improve.

Yep agreed. Still nice not to be too reliant on one player.

Gus99

emergingstar wrote: »

We won't win the league next year but if have a good young group now and we should be on an upward spiral

Hopefully your upward spiral will not be similar in accuracy to AVB's predicted downward spiral

ronjo

We won our last 5 games away from home (6 if you include Bayern) conceding just 1 goal.

The defence has been fantastic.

wandatowell

Gringo180 wrote: »

Bit of an over reaction on my part, many apologies

tbh i'd listen to him over 99% of them out there

wandatowell

There's a lot of love floating around the forum the last 24hrs

greendom

ronjo wrote: »

We won our last 5 games away from home (6 if you include Bayern) conceding just 1 goal.

The defence has been fantastic.

The last time we did that was 2004

emergingstar

Gus99 wrote: »

Hopefully your upward spiral will not be similar in accuracy to AVB's predicted downward spiral

This post is brilliant

emergingstar

Wenger has a big job this summer but his biggest is sorting out Jack

Our best periods came at the start and end of the season when he was injured

He needs to figure out how he fits into this system or build a system around him

gosplan

wandatowell wrote: »

There's a lot of love floating around the forum the last 24hrs

I love you all

emergingstar

emergingstar wrote: »

Wenger has a big job this summer but his biggest is sorting out Jack

Our best periods came at the start and end of the season when he was injured

He needs to figure out how he fits into this system or build a system around him

If you ask me, Cazorla is inclined to be too much of a passenger. Is he a luxury we can afford? An injury free Jack in his pomp is far more effective and will put in a tackle or two

batistuta9

batistuta9 wrote: »

this is neville's time though, he retired 2 seasons ago

he'd be very clued into the modern game & what a club has to do to compete with billionaire owners, etc. compared to some other pundits

he knows the here & now first hand

whelan alluded to it a bit saying it's the way the game has gone, when they were on about the celebrating

neville is a great one of stating how important he thinks the whole stadium/financial management will be to arsenal though, others just use the no trophies line

True. Neville has also some inclination that ordinary football clubs don't run on tap water due to the fact his father was involved with Bury so has a deep sense of realism about the whole thing.

wandatowell

Deleted User wrote: »

If you ask me, Cazorla is inclined to be too much of a passenger. Is he a luxury we can afford? An injury free Jack in his pomp is far more effective and will put in a tackle or two

Indeed he can be a passenger but he's got the talent. Considering its his first season in EPL so games were going to pass him by but he's been fantastic overall.

I can see Jack being groomed into the role Arteta is doing for us now. Might be a waste of his talent *if* im right.











**Im hardly ever right

emergingstar

[Deleted User] wrote: »

If you ask me, Cazorla is inclined to be too much of a passenger. Is he a luxury we can afford? An injury free Jack in his pomp is far more effective and will put in a tackle or two

We need both firing on all cyclinders if we're to have any chance of closing the gap

Wengers needs to fit both in

Soups123

Deleted User wrote: »

If you ask me, Cazorla is inclined to be too much of a passenger. Is he a luxury we can afford? An injury free Jack in his pomp is far more effective and will put in a tackle or two

Labeling him a passenger is a bit much. He got us out of some holes this year and is probably our most talented player. Big clubs need players like him.

TBH unless Jack gets back to his best he isnt more effective than Cazorla at the minute. I think like above he may be tailored for the Arteta role he doesnt get enough goals or assists for the attacking role. Atleast the talk this year is adding to this bunch this is the first year for years where there is a real opportunity for Arsenal to push on, invest and not worry about outgoings.

We should go after Bale he will be looking for a big club now.

Galvasean

Re: Bale, it's kind of nice having the intense "when is he leaving' speculation at the other side of North London for a change.

TheGunns

Ideally Cazorla should be playing where Rosicky was yesterday and Pod on the wing. Wenger obviously thought Giroud didn't have enough game time under his belt to start. Cazorla is much better in that role, not a real winger so is ineffective out there most of the time. Pace being his biggest problem

I can see Jack playing where Arteta is only if we sign a proper defensive midfielder who will sit and not attack

farna_boy

Galvasean wrote: »

Re: Bale, it's kind of nice having the intense "when is he leaving' speculation at the other side of North London for a change.

We should put a bid in for him for the laugh

Pudders

Galvasean wrote: »

Actually, I'd like to hear from them and see if they hold to that opinion. Not to denote them though. Just to see if they've changed their minds.

I live near Arsenal, and know probably 30-40 season ticket holders. I don't support Arsenal but as my local club will watch out for their results, probably go the emirates about 8-10 times a season and if I wanted a premiership team to do well, they would be the team.

Every single one of those season ticket holders still want Wenger to go. I know about another 10 who have given up their season tickets out of frustration. This still shocked me yesterday when they all still wanted him gone despite getting 4th.

The view over here in N1 is that Wenger will not splash the cash. It will be more of the same. Young unproven kids, French footballers etc.

If we don't have a huge net spend this summer then I'd be hoping for a change next season.

Soups123

Pudders wrote: »

I live near Arsenal, and know probably 30-40 season ticket holders. I don't support Arsenal but as my local club will watch out for their results, probably go the emirates about 8-10 times a season and if I wanted a premiership team to do well, they would be the team.

Every single one of those season ticket holders still want Wenger to go. I know about another 10 who have given up their season tickets out of frustration. This still shocked me yesterday when they all still wanted him gone despite getting 4th.

The view over here in N1 is that Wenger will not splash the cash. It will be more of the same. Young unproven kids, French footballers etc.

I think with the events going on an United, City & Chelski that Arsenal would be mad to not stick with Wenger. There is an opportunity that United and City will have a transitional year of sorts. Chelsea is unknown at this point.

If Wenger can add some quality players he may have the experience to pull off something next season. If they don't make the moves in the transfer market then keeping him on and going for more of the same will be a complete waste of time.

I would have been in the camp of 'time to move on' but I'm not there now, I think now is the time to back him and for the club to give it a go. Lets wait and see

AdamD

Mickeroo

Is that two seasons in a row where we've done that?

dsmythy

batistuta9 wrote: »

it's done now i think or nearly done at least

http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/data/method4/trank2013.html

pacos will definitely be an option, some potentially tricky ones - fenerbache the obvious one - depending on who get through

I think that's pretty much the seeding for next season. German teams might get a slight boost if the final this weekend isn't included. For seeding it will become clearer once each league is complete. Right now Arsenal, Milan and Schalke are guaranteed to be seeded. Everything else is up in the air.


To give an idea of what a draw may look like, if every league were to end right now with the league positions as they are and all seeded teams from the previous qualifying round were to win their games you would have this (unless I'm horribly mistaken and someone shows me the error of my ways) :

Seeded

Arsenal
Lyon
Milan
Schalke
Zenit

Unseeded

PSV
Metalist Kharkiv
Fenerbahce
Pacos de Ferreira
Real Sociedad

But lots of games to be played between now and August so it's wait and see for you!

keano_afc

dsmythy wrote: »

I think that's pretty much the seeding for next season. German teams might get a slight boost if the final this weekend isn't included. For seeding it will become clearer once each league is complete. Right now Arsenal, Milan and Schalke are guaranteed to be seeded. Everything else is up in the air.


To give an idea of what a draw may look like, if every league were to end right now with the league positions as they are and all seeded teams from the previous qualifying round were to win their games you would have this (unless I'm horribly mistaken and someone shows me the error of my ways) :

Seeded

Arsenal
Lyon
Milan
Schalke
Zenit

Unseeded

PSV
Metalist Kharkiv
Fenerbahce
Pacos de Ferreira
Real Sociedad

But lots of games to be played between now and August so it's wait and see for you!

Is that a team or a person Ted?

tayto lover

gosplan wrote: »

What we've seen for the last two months should be our starting point for next year.

I realise the matches will be tougher as everyone will have something to play for but you've got a clear blueprint for success. What we need is someone else who for the first half of next season can share the holding role with Arteta and eventually go on to improve it. And then we need more quality in attack.

Yes and not celebrating scoreless draws to the likes of Stoke and Sunderland at the beginning of the season like last year.
Straight into it from the word go and no messing.

farna_boy

tayto lover wrote: »

Yes and not celebrating scoreless draws to the likes of Stoke and Sunderland at the beginning of the season like last year.
Straight into it from the word go and no messing.

To do that successfully though, we need to buy all our players at the start of the window and ensure that no one leaves in August. That has been one of our biggest problems over the last few seasons, not necessarily that players leave (although that is a fairly major problem), but that they leave in August which means we have f*ck all time to sign a new player and get them up to speed with the rest of the squad. If we could sort it out early, I would be much more optimistic about the start of the season at the very least.

I reckon we're in the position for the best shot in the league next year.

As people have said, there's so many reasons that it should work out for us next year

A: All the other top 4 teams have changed manager. There has to be a certain bedding in period.

B: We have money for the first time in years.

C: We have no players itching to leave that will be missed (arguably Sagna, but after his injuries you'd wonder how much of a part he would have played next year anyway)

We have a good solid team based on youngsters. With the additions of a couple more experienced players (Look at what Mert, Kos, Santi and Podolski have brought to the team) we should have the right balance

E: There's a chance it could be Wenger's last season. I'm sure the team will want to end on a high for him.

I think we'll win it next year. Or at least top 2. Especially if we carry this form over into next season.

I still feel a full-on DM would allow for better balance in attack/defence. While we've been conceding fewer goals (5 in the last 10 I think) I still feel we're lacking in attack against better teams. We should be happy with the form (26 points out of 30 to end the season) but the draws were against United having won the title and Everton with nothing to play for, the other 8 games were against 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 16th, 18th, 19th and 20th.
I still feel we need a DM, potentially a defending to provide coverage and a really top-class striker because I don't think Giroud is quite enough.

Soups123

Soups123 wrote: »

Labeling him a passenger is a bit much. He got us out of some holes this year and is probably our most talented player. Big clubs need players like him.

TBH unless Jack gets back to his best he isnt more effective than Cazorla at the minute. I think like above he may be tailored for the Arteta role he doesnt get enough goals or assists for the attacking role. Atleast the talk this year is adding to this bunch this is the first year for years where there is a real opportunity for Arsenal to push on, invest and not worry about outgoings.

We should go after Bale he will be looking for a big club now.

To be honest i think he more than justifies the passenger tag. Yes he has done wonders in games but all too often for my liking he goes missing.

emergingstar wrote: »

We need both firing on all cyclinders if we're to have any chance of closing the gap

Wengers needs to fit both in

Im not sure you can to be honest and ill pick Jack in every situation.
Gives far more for the club

TheGunns wrote: »

Ideally Cazorla should be playing where Rosicky was yesterday and Pod on the wing. Wenger obviously thought Giroud didn't have enough game time under his belt to start. Cazorla is much better in that role, not a real winger so is ineffective out there most of the time. Pace being his biggest problem

I can see Jack playing where Arteta is only if we sign a proper defensive midfielder who will sit and not attack

Is Arteta not playing in that defensive role? He seems to always pass the ball back.
As for Rosicky, i think he has done more to justify his place than Cazorla to be honest. He looks to get on the ball more often and makes several runs. Cazorla is a frustrating little bugger at times.

wandatowell wrote: »

Indeed he can be a passenger but he's got the talent. Considering its his first season in EPL so games were going to pass him by but he's been fantastic overall.

I can see Jack being groomed into the role Arteta is doing for us now. Might be a waste of his talent *if* im right

That would be the equivalent of Real putting Ronaldo or Barca putting Messi in that position. Ramsey slotting in there i could accept but not Jack.

No way Jose....oops i mean Arsene

Galvasean

Deleted User wrote: »

I still feel a full-on DM would allow for better balance in attack/defence. While we've been conceding fewer goals (5 in the last 10 I think) I still feel we're lacking in attack against better teams. We should be happy with the form (26 points out of 30 to end the season) but the draws were against United having won the title and Everton with nothing to play for, the other 8 games were against 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 16th, 18th, 19th and 20th.
I still feel we need a DM, potentially a defending to provide coverage and a really top-class striker because I don't think Giroud is quite enough.

Not disagreeing with your point but Everton still had a half decent shot at Champions League football back then. For them the game against us was billed as a 'must win' to keep the dream alive.