Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013

tayto lover

I think we need one marquee signing. A DM who can be the leader we are missing. Someone who is very vocal and commanding. More of the same will only patch the side up when we have injuries and suspensions. Koscielney is a great player but is a quiet individual by all accounts.

Leader required -- apply Arsenal F.C.

meriwether

wandatowell wrote: »

I was thinking that Arsene might steal a march on the other clubs (in the prem how are sorting their managers out) and get his business done very very early by buying a big big player or two.

But the more i think of it he might sign players who will compliment the team rather than just signing a marquee player.


Either way, I trust him to do what he thinks is best for the club and thats good enough for me.

The fact we scored more goals last season than when we had RVP is startling imo.

2 more. 7 against Newcastle, 6 against Southampton, a shed load against Reading. Skews the figures and paints a misleading picture of our attacking capability.

We also barely troubled the big teams:

City: 1 point.
United: 1 point
Chelsea: 0 point.

2 points from 18 against the three teams ahead of us. We steamrolled the small teams, but were blunt against the big teams - because Giroud, Podolski and Walcott (in whatever combo) aren't good enough to lead the line in really big games (against top defences), when cups are won and lost.

We need a top striker, and badly.

Giroud is a handsome, white Wiltord.

Wiltord got goals, but we also had Henry and Bergkamp.

AdamD

Walcott can have the RW slot against big sides. Scored against United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and Everton this year. ST and LW need improvements, are current players in those positions aren't effective against the big teams.

gnfnrhead

meriwether wrote: »

2 more. 7 against Newcastle, 6 against Southampton, a shed load against Reading. Skews the figures and paints a misleading picture of our attacking capability.

We also barely troubled the big teams:

City: 1 point.
United: 1 point
Chelsea: 0 point.

2 points from 18 against the three teams ahead of us. We steamrolled the small teams, but were blunt against the big teams - because Giroud, Podolski and Walcott (in whatever combo) aren't good enough to lead the line in really big games (against top defences), when cups are won and lost.

We need a top striker, and badly.

Giroud is a handsome, white Wiltord.

Wiltord got goals, but we also had Henry and Bergkamp.

Dropping those points wouldnt mean anything if we picked up every other point going. Thats 96 points. It'll probably never happen for any club but it would take a miracle for someone else to win the league at that rate. Doesnt matter who you beat for the points, just once you get them. We could pick up 0 from 18 and still win the league. Do the business against the majority of teams, like we did in the second half of the season, and you'll be there or thereabout.

Similar with goals. Doesnt matter if 10 come in one match, they still come. I wont be complaining about a 1-0 victory as it means 3 points.

Pepe LeFrits

AdamD wrote: »

Walcott can have the RW slot against big sides. Scored against United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and Everton this year. ST and LW need improvements, are current players in those positions aren't effective against the big teams.

That's quite an impressive record. I don't agree that it necessarily means that Walcott should be untouchable though. In an ideal world we'd have Walcott and Podolski competing for the same spot, because I don't think either is really fully deserving of first team regular status. If only we could find another Bobby Pires who could play on either flank...

Galvasean

Too many draws was our downfall. I was looking at the table yesterday and figured if we had have converted half of our draws to wins we'd have ended up being very close to United at season's end.

boodiebhoy

gnfnrhead wrote: »

Dropping those points wouldnt mean anything if we picked up every other point going. Thats 96 points. It'll probably never happen for any club but it would take a miracle for someone else to win the league at that rate. Doesnt matter who you beat for the points, just once you get them. We could pick up 0 from 18 and still win the league. Do the business against the majority of teams, like we did in the second half of the season, and you'll be there or thereabout.

Similar with goals. Doesnt matter if 10 come in one match, they still come. I wont be complaining about a 1-0 victory as it means 3 points.

Great post, look at the start we had to the season 0-0 with stoke and Sunderland, 4 points dropped against 2 teams who just about survived. Losing at home to Swansea, draw with Fulham, these were the sickening results. Winning those games builds the confidence to beat the others.

.jacksparrow.

Vermalaen set to hand in a transfer request in next 48 hours, let's hope if he does go he isn't replaced with Silvestre.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

Vermalaen set to hand in a transfer request in next 48 hours, let's hope if he does go he isn't replaced with Silvestre.

Source?

tayto lover

gnfnrhead wrote: »

Dropping those points wouldnt mean anything if we picked up every other point going. Thats 96 points. It'll probably never happen for any club but it would take a miracle for someone else to win the league at that rate. Doesnt matter who you beat for the points, just once you get them. We could pick up 0 from 18 and still win the league. Do the business against the majority of teams, like we did in the second half of the season, and you'll be there or thereabout.

Similar with goals. Doesnt matter if 10 come in one match, they still come. I wont be complaining about a 1-0 victory as it means 3 points.

Nah. You have to beat your rivals or at least not drop significant points to them. Our record against the top teams is dismal.
What team ever won the league with a record like ours against our top of the table rivals? Answer - none.
Of course our second half of the season record was great but we drew with United who were already champions, lost to Spurs, Chelsea and City thus making life very difficult for ourselves.

L'prof

tayto lover wrote: »

Nah. You have to beat your rivals or at least not drop significant points to them. Our record against the top teams is dismal.
What team ever won the league with a record like ours against our top of the table rivals? Answer - none.
Of course our second half of the season record was great but we drew with United who were already champions, lost to Spurs, Chelsea and City thus making life very difficult for ourselves.

Man United, 5/18 in 08/09 isn't all that impressive either but they still went in to win the league that year! I haven't looked much further back than that, but I'm sure there are other examples. The easiest way to win the league is by beating the teams you're expected to beat as that's where the majority of the points can be picked up.

wandatowell

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

Vermalaen set to hand in a transfer request in next 48 hours, let's hope if he does go he isn't replaced with Silvestre.

Is he just trying to save face by putting in a request?

He's been awful for a year now, he cant expect to be playing if his form has been poor.

Pierce_1991

gnfnrhead wrote: »

Dropping those points wouldnt mean anything if we picked up every other point going. Thats 96 points. It'll probably never happen for any club but it would take a miracle for someone else to win the league at that rate. Doesnt matter who you beat for the points, just once you get them. We could pick up 0 from 18 and still win the league. Do the business against the majority of teams, like we did in the second half of the season, and you'll be there or thereabout.

Similar with goals. Doesnt matter if 10 come in one match, they still come. I wont be complaining about a 1-0 victory as it means 3 points.

Totally agree. Just look at United this year, lost to city and chelsea, drew with us, and I think they took one point off spurs. Consistency wins titles, beat the teams we're better than and we'd be right up there. A won against QPR gives the sane points as a win against United at the end of the day

SlickRic

since he mentions Arsenal, how much money would you throw at him? assuming you'd take him?

Christian Benteke has cast doubt on his future at Aston Villa by indicating that he would like to leave if a leading club such as Arsenal try to buy him.

Villa want the striker to sign a new, improved contract but Benteke has given a press conference on international duty with Belgium before their friendly against the USA in which he is quoted as saying that he may demand a transfer: "If Aston Villa say I must stay, I won't necessarily accept that. I do not in any way want to feel I didn't get the most out of my career."

Benteke is further quoted as saying: "Of course playing the World Cup in Rio is in my head. But I have no fear of falling out of the team. There is no point in me getting into a tug-of-war with Villa.

"If the chance comes up for me to join a club like Arsenal, I'm convinced we can reach a compromise where everyone comes out a winner."

Benteke's agent Kismet Eris told the Sun: "This always happens when he goes away with the national team. I'd prefer he didn't speak to journalists but the Belgian team insist he does a press conference.

"If he was unhappy at Villa we'd have seen that. But he's not."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/24/christian-benteke-aston-villa

greendom

This has probably prompted Vermaelen's request...#


http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/2013/05/24/4000198/swansea-city-defender-williams-agrees-terms-with-arsenal?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Not an inspirational signing, but he's solid and will be a good 3rd choice.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

SlickRic wrote: »

since he mentions Arsenal, how much money would you throw at him? assuming you'd take him?



http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/24/christian-benteke-aston-villa

Well apparently he's an Arsenal fan alright. Don't know if we'd be in for him though.

gnfnrhead

RE: Williams, Not a single quote.

greendom

gnfnrhead wrote: »

RE: Williams, Not a single quote.

Good point, goal is a completely unreliable site anyway - shame on me.

greendom

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

Well apparently he's an Arsenal fan alright. Don't know if we'd be in for him though.

Lambert apparently told Benteke that he was too good for Arsenal. What's he doing at Villa then ?

tayto lover

L'prof wrote: »

Man United, 5/18 in 08/09 isn't all that impressive either but they still went in to win the league that year! I haven't looked much further back than that, but I'm sure there are other examples. The easiest way to win the league is by beating the teams you're expected to beat as that's where the majority of the points can be picked up.

Exactly but didn't some posters celebrate our first two draws with Stoke and Sunderland and look where they finished?

gosplan

Still a week before the transfer window actually opens everybody.

Stop buying into all this agent feeding media stuff.

It's a massive load of cack designed to create a bit of demand for a player.

greendom

tayto lover wrote: »

Exactly but didn't some posters celebrate our first two draws with Stoke and Sunderland and look where they finished?

I suppose that's whether you see the glass half empty or half full. Both opponents had been reasonably strong teams the season before and it did point to an increase in defensive solidity. Added to the fact that it was virtually a completely new front line who were still gelling, there were positives that could be drawn.

WoollyRedHat

Benteke would be a brillant signing, especially if Jovetic doesn't come up.

DenMan

UEFA have confirmed that from 2015 the Europa League winners will qualify for the Champions League. I wonder will England still retain it's four places then?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22640095

gosplan

DenMan wrote: »

UEFA have confirmed that from 2015 the Europa League winners will qualify for the Champions League. I wonder will England still retain it's four places then?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22640095

I imagine it'll be the same as the case of Chelsea knocking Spurs out last year.

Fair enough though. It's a good rule. Europa shouldn't cost a club their shot at CL.

GeorgeBailey

gosplan wrote: »

I imagine it'll be the same as the case of Chelsea knocking Spurs out last year.

Fair enough though. It's a good rule. Europa shouldn't cost a club their shot at CL.

According to this Irish Times article, if the rule had been in place this year Spurs would've gotten a place because Chelsea won the Europa, i.e. there would've been 5 English teams going into it next year. Poor aul spuds can't catch a break

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/champions-league/europa-league-winners-to-get-champions-league-place-1.1404761

Mickeroo

gosplan wrote: »

I imagine it'll be the same as the case of Chelsea knocking Spurs out last year.

Fair enough though. It's a good rule. Europa shouldn't cost a club their shot at CL.

Clever way of getting teams to put more effort into winning the trophy too.

GeorgeBailey

GeorgeBailey wrote: »

According to this Irish Times article, if the rule had been in place this year Spurs would've gotten a place because Chelsea won the Europa, i.e. there would've been 5 English teams going into it next year. Poor aul spuds can't catch a break

Heh heh heh

AdamD

Probably have Benteke over Jovetic, given that I haven't seen Jovetic at all and Benteke looks a proper goalscorer. However there is an element of risk about him, a couple of my Belgian friends have said that he wasn't rated at all in Belgium and were pretty shocked with how well hes done. I know its unlikely but there's still a small chance of him being a one season wonder. Also wouldn't think hes worth more than 20m, anything after that is PL and hype inflation.

premierstone

AdamD wrote: »

Probably have Benteke over Jovetic, given that I haven't seen Jovetic at all and Benteke looks a proper goalscorer. However there is an element of risk about him, a couple of my Belgian friends have said that he wasn't rated at all in Belgium and were pretty shocked with how well hes done. I know its unlikely but there's still a small chance of him being a one season wonder. Also wouldn't think hes worth more than 20m, anything after that is PL and hype inflation.

There is a huge chance of him being a one season wonder tbh, I would take Jovetic over him anyday, but would be happy with either.

Awesomeness

GeorgeBailey wrote: »

According to this Irish Times article, if the rule had been in place this year Spurs would've gotten a place because Chelsea won the Europa, i.e. there would've been 5 English teams going into it next year. Poor aul spuds can't catch a break

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/champions-league/europa-league-winners-to-get-champions-league-place-1.1404761

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX7wtNOkuHo

.jacksparrow.

Ashley Williams is supposed to have agreed personal terms, not sure what to think if true.

Playboy

GeorgeBailey wrote: »

According to this Irish Times article, if the rule had been in place this year Spurs would've gotten a place because Chelsea won the Europa, i.e. there would've been 5 English teams going into it next year. Poor aul spuds can't catch a break

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/champions-league/europa-league-winners-to-get-champions-league-place-1.1404761

I think thats wrong from what I have read. It would have stayed at 4 places even though Chelsea finished top 4 and won the UEFA. The only instance where it would be 5 places would be where the UEFA winner finishes outside the top 4.

batistuta9

frimpong had surgery yesterday & will be out for around 2 months

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2329981/Arsenal-midfielder-Emmanuel-Frimpong-months.html?ico=sport%5Eheadlines

Soups123

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

Ashley Williams is supposed to have agreed personal terms, not sure what to think if true.

Where is that from?

Alfred Borden

Seems like the level of our targets get lowered as each month passes every transfer window! Jovetic and Higuain > Benteke> and probably just end up with sanogo!

.jacksparrow.

Soups123 wrote: »

Where is that from?

Daily mail, metro, goal.com.

Here's one

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2329490/Arsenal-agree-terms-Ashley-Williams-Thomas-Vermaelen-plans-Emirates-exit.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

wandatowell

http://en.violachannel.tv/breaking-news-detail/items/fiorentina-sign-iakovenko.html


Dont know if its been reported here yet but Fiorentina have signed a new striker, Jovetic replacement?

Soups123

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

Daily mail, metro, goal.com.

Here's one

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2329490/Arsenal-agree-terms-Ashley-Williams-Thomas-Vermaelen-plans-Emirates-exit.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Cheers

Williams is a serious down grade on Vermalen hope its not true. He is capable of being a first teamer again if he sorts himself out

farna_boy

Raf32 wrote: »

Seems like the level of our targets get lowered as each month passes every transfer window! Jovetic and Higuain > Benteke> and probably just end up with sanogo!

FFS. This is the start of it yet again. Yes we need quality first team players but we also need a lot of squad players. Not everyone we sign is going to be Neymar or Jovetic.

Considering there is also supposed to be a big clear out over the summer and there already has been in the youth/first team squads, it will be even more important that we have a very deep reserve of good players we can call on if we need them and go through another injury crisis.

The worst possible thing we could do is only sign Jovetic and Higuain (or similar) and have a clear out without replenishing our squad somewhat.

Pepe LeFrits

That's hardly the worst thing we could do. Getting rid of guys like Arshavin, Squillaci, Chamakh, Denilson, Watt, Meade etc is not going to hurt us.

Mickeroo

Soups123 wrote: »

Cheers

Williams is a serious down grade on Vermalen hope its not true. He is capable of being a first teamer again if he sorts himself out

If Vermaelan does leave then we'll need to sign another CB on top of williams (assuming thats true), we were lucky this year that our 3 centrebacks stayed fit.

tayto lover

Mickeroo wrote: »

If Vermaelan does leave then we'll need to sign another CB on top of williams (assuming thats true), we were lucky this year that our 3 centrebacks stayed fit.

What has become of Miguel?
Never hear him mentioned now.

wandatowell

Soups123 wrote: »

Williams is a serious down grade on Vermalen hope its not true.

I wouldn't say he's a serious downgrade. He'll be a very good squad player if he joins us.

Verm has been lost at sea for quite a while now.

wandatowell

meriwether wrote: »

2 more. 7 against Newcastle, 6 against Southampton, a shed load against Reading. Skews the figures and paints a misleading picture of our attacking capability.

2 points from 18 against the three teams ahead of us. We steamrolled the small teams, but were blunt against the big teams - because Giroud, Podolski and Walcott (in whatever combo) aren't good enough to lead the line in really big games (against top defences), when cups are won and lost.

I see says the blind man

dvemail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2330621/Wayne-Rooney-chased-Arsenal.html

Still can't see it happening.

brianregan09

I rather we signed Jovetic being honest, but wouldn't mind Rooney as a backup should we miss out, On his day he's fantastic

wonga77

personally im not a fan of Williams, cannot see us paying the kind of wages Rooney will look for either

L'prof

SlickRic wrote: »

since he mentions Arsenal, how much money would you throw at him? assuming you'd take him?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/24/christian-benteke-aston-villa

I'd definitely take him, but wouldn't like to see any more than £15m spent on him and I doubt Villa would let him go for that.

boodiebhoy

I can't see united letting Rooney go to another premier league team but I would love to see him at Arsenal. How many goals has he scored against us over the years? Also If he does leave united he will have something to prove to them. A fired up Rooney would be a huge asset.